


Apocalypse Reinvented

by SpencnerTibbsLuvr (KliqzAngel)



Series: The Challenges [2]
Category: Criminal Minds, NCIS, Supernatural
Genre: A-Sexual Characters, AU for Dean's Resurrection, AU for Supernatural post Season 3 Finale, Angels and Demons, Anti-Senior, Conversational Mentions of Child Abuse and Neglect, Conversational Mentions of Rape, Exorcism, Injury to a Fairy Angel, M/M, Made up or Altered Religious Themes, No Criminal Minds Canon, OoC - Aaron, OoC - Tony, OoC -Reid, Religious Themes, Short Tempered!Gibbs, canon character death, violence between siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2018-12-12 04:58:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 43,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11729979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KliqzAngel/pseuds/SpencnerTibbsLuvr
Summary: Tony DiNozzo didn't always know he was special. His life was pretty normal until his older half-brother Aaron Hotchner went into the Army. Then when left alone with the father he shared with his younger brother Spencer DiNozzo and the mother to all three of them, secrets came out. His father made an unholy alliance, and Tony learned things he was pretty sure neither heaven or hell wanted him to be aware of.Ten years later, those secrets and the visions he was given to support or disprove the monsters claims were beginning to come true. Starting with the death of one Dean Winchester, and meeting his younger brother Sam in a rundown house in Nowhere, USA. Neither angel or demon was going to be happy with the results because their planned apocalypse was about to be reinvented.





	1. Where it all Began

**Author's Note:**

> There are references in this story to Child Abuse and Neglect as well as Rape of an adult child arranged by his parent. There is also an exorcism scene, references to demonic possession, and a fight between male siblings (15 yr old and 22 yr old) which gets slightly violent. **There are NO graphic descriptions of violence, rape, or child abuse. Mentions of the child abuse and rape are conversational mentions only.** Due to my own triggers, I did not get details and therefore I am comfortable with the scenes, but I wanted to warn others as I know sensitivity to these issues varies.
> 
> Also, this is a complete AU for all Criminal Minds and NCIS characters, and a partial AU for Supernatural characters. CM and NCIS characters WILL be out of character from what you are used to seeing on the shows. There is absolutely NO NCIS or CM canon in this story aside from Senior being Tony's father.

Banner by Rivermoon1970

 

 

## Chapter One: Where it all Began

  


Seventeen-year-old Tony DiNozzo sat on the couch in the basement of his parents’ house. He was singing Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and playing the secondary guitar part. His older half-brother Aaron Hotchner was sitting on the other end of the sectional sofa playing the first guitar part. Their younger brother Spencer was playing a piano part on the electric keyboard that Tony had gotten him last Christmas. He’d been wanting an instrument so that he could play along with his older brothers. With both Tony and Aaron playing guitar though he wanted something different. When Tony saw the electric keyboard in the second-hand shop, he’d known that it was the perfect solution.

 

They were on their third day of Aaron’s leave. The 23-year-old was one year into a six-year commitment. When he’d told Tony that he couldn’t stay anymore, and therefore had enlisted in the Army, Tony had been devastated. Aaron was his hero. Aaron was the person that he wanted to be when he grew up.

 

The announcement had been a shock because his older brother had been just about to start his fourth year at college. Unfortunately, Aaron and Senior, Tony and Spencer’s father, had one too many arguments about Senior meddling in Aaron’s affairs.

 

While Tony loved his father, he wasn’t blind to the man’s faults. Senior hated Aaron and didn’t even try to hide his disdain. For his older brother, he knew the feeling was mutual. Aaron often talked to Tony about his own father, and how wonderful of a dad he’d been. When he’d died, Aaron had been devastated.

 

Because he didn’t care for his wife’s oldest son, Senior often stuck his nose in the boy’s business, often to do something to hurt him in some way. It didn’t help that Aaron had been working toward a law degree, and Senior was…

 

Well, one of those faults of Senior’s was his criminal escapades. Senior didn’t bother to try very hard to hide them within the walls of his own home. He had complete confidence in his own ability to keep Tony and his brothers’ mouths shut, and their mom was… well, she was even less of a threat.

 

Tony’s mom was pretty checked out in his opinion. He hated the woman. He’d almost rather tolerate Senior’s criminal bullshit than his mother’s constant physical or mental absence. Even the rare times she was home she wasn’t really. Aaron had done more to raise his two brothers than either parent had. Hence the devastation when Aaron announced his decision to leave.

 

Two days later, Tony was standing in the driveway with an arm around Spencer who was already crying. Aaron and Senior had almost come to blows the night before. Tony was afraid that it would put an end to his bother trips home.

 

“T-bird,” Aaron called softly coming over with his dog tags in his hand. “I want you to keep these safe for me until I get home.”

 

Tony was trying hard not to cry. He had to be strong for Spencer. “You’re not coming back. Are you?”

 

“I think it’s for the best, Tony. You and Wolfgang will do better without me. The old man likes you two. Just stay away from his business as much as you can. Don’t let him get you wrapped up in that. You’re too smart. Take care of Spencer for me. I’m counting on you.”

 

A blow to his head brought Tony back to reality. Looking up he saw his father’s black eyes looking down at him. “Quit fucking daydreaming. You don’t have time for that shit, or do you want me to get Spencer to do your job?”

 

Quickly, Tony shook his head. He tried hard not to be mad at Aaron. Somewhere inside of him, he knew that it wasn’t his fault all this was happening. Technically he knew that he could say no, but he couldn’t take the chance that they would stick to their word. There was no way he was taking a chance with Spencer. It was bad enough his little brother was so angry all the time now. He knew that he’d fucked that up, but he just didn’t know how to fix it. He could only hope the letter that he sent got some results.

 

The dog tags under his shirt gave him a tad bit of comfort as they lay against his skin. Reluctantly, Tony stood and followed his father out. One of his “friends” was in town. It was his responsibility to entertain him because he would be fucked if he was going to have them force his little brother.

 

Three weeks later, Tony was sitting in the library wasting time researching things that he had heard his father and his friends say. He’d gotten a text message from a Bobby Singer saying that he was on his way with a friend to help. They’d agreed to meet at the local library.

 

He only hoped that the guy was for real because he wasn’t sure how much more that he could take. He couldn’t remember the last time that he’d heard from Aaron. He suspected that Senior was stealing his letters. Trying to hope for the best he’d continued his letters to his big brother, and was trying his best not to worry him. It was hard though. Sometimes he just wanted to come clean with everything that had been going on, and beg for him to come home.

 

The problem was that he was scared what would happen if he did. Of course, he was scared of his brother staying overseas in combat also. In general, Tony was just scared. He was scared and sometimes numb too, which made his life confusing. Overall, he felt like a failure. He felt like he’d completely let his hero older brother down. As mad as he was, and that anger was locked firmly away as often as possible, he was more afraid of disappointing him.

 

Even though he was 22 years old, Tony most of the time felt more like he was 12 and being picked on by bullies after school. There were so many things going on that he didn’t understand or couldn’t control. It had been so long since he’d felt safe. He just wanted to be safe. He just wanted to stop feeling like a failure and a whore.

 

He just wanted Aaron back. He just wanted to know his big brother still loved him.

 

“That’s some heavy reading material that you’ve got there.”

 

Looking up, Tony saw two men standing in front of the table he was at. He’d picked the most secluded table that he could find. He was afraid that one of Senior’s cronies would see him. The likelihood that they’d enter the library was small, but still.

 

“Not many kids your age would be looking up exorcism spells and druid rituals.”

 

Tony looked from one man to the other, as he tried to find his voice to speak. He didn’t talk much anymore. He was afraid what would come out if he did. When Spencer didn’t believe him about what was going on and what their father’s friends were doing to him, when he yelled at him to stop causing trouble with mom and dad, Tony’d given up mostly all of his hope of being believed. What was the point in trying to convince a stranger, when his own flesh and blood called him a liar?

 

He’d had to take one last shot though, and these two strangers hopefully wouldn’t turn out to be a mistake. Senior had been too focused on Spencer lately. It seemed that he was always talking about him, and about how pretty he was. Tony had already failed the kid enough. He couldn’t let those things inside of his parents get their claws into him.

 

Even if he’d turned into a little bitch, he was still Tony’s little brother and his responsibility. He loved the kid no matter how much his words of hate hurt him. He refused to fail the kid another time, and he knew somewhere along the way he must have. Spencer wasn’t this hateful before, so the only logical conclusion was that Tony messed the kid up somewhere along the way.

 

“Bobby Singer?” He finally asked. His voice horse and trembled from not being used.

 

One of the strangers nodded. “That’s me, kid. This is my friend Pastor Jim Murphy. He’s gonna help us get this all fixed for you.”

 

The two men pulled out chairs and sat across from him, and Tony tried not to shrink away.

 

“How old are you, son?” The one wearing the priest’s collar asked. Tony played with the book in front of him, studying its words without really seeing them as he answered.

 

“I’m 22, sir. I have a younger brother at home with me, Spencer. He’s 15. He’s not… I don’t… Please, I need you to believe me. I can’t do this all by myself anymore, and I don’t have anyone else.”

 

“You sound horse, kiddo,” the one who said that he was Bobby observed. “Are you sick?”

 

Tony closed the book and pushed it aside. Reaching for the pad that he’d been using to take notes, he flipped to a blank page and began doodling nervously.

 

“No, sir. I just don’t talk much anymore. I’m… I’m afraid to.” Because he was looking at his paper, he missed the look of concern that the two men shared.

 

“I know that you explained things in your letter, but we’d like to hear the story from you once more if we could. Why don’t you tell us what is going on?”

 

Sighing, Tony peeked at the two men trying to judge their honesty. Seeing only sincerity on their faces, he began to go over what was happening to him.

 

“My name is Tony DiNozzo, Jr. I have an older half-brother named Aaron Hotchner. He’s 28 and is an Army Ranger overseas. His parents got divorced, then his mom married Senior. When his father died when he was ten he came to live with us. They already had me and my younger brother Spencer. He’s 15, and really super smart. Spencer doesn’t believe that there’s anything going on. He says it’s not logical what I’m claiming, and that the things I say aren’t physically possible. Aaron… he doesn’t write me anymore. Either that or someone is stealing my letters.

 

“Aaron enlisted when he was 22. He and Senior don’t get along. My brother was in college studying pre-law when he just decided to go into the Army. Even before these things took over, my father wasn’t on the up and up. I guess one day Aaron just had too much of Senior’s interference and had to leave.”

 

Tony fidgeted as his pencil moved over the paper almost of its own will. “He only came home once. He said that things would be better for me and Spencer if he didn’t come back, and told me to take care of our little brother. Aaron was my hero, and then he left.”

 

“Sounds like you’re mad about that, son,” The pastor pointed out, and Tony shrugged.

 

“I try not to be. I miss him. I need him to come home, but I’m afraid that he won’t ever come back again. I’m afraid that those things will kill him, and he won’t be able to.”

 

“Did they threaten him?” Bobby asked. Tony felt himself freeze before nodding jerkily.

 

“Yes, sir. They said that they would make sure that he was killed over where ever he is. Then they said that they’d take Spencer, and I’d never see him again. Can we… I’m sorry, but I’m kinda thirsty and hungry. Can we go get lunch, sirs?”

 

It’s just Bobby and Jim, my son,” The pastor advised kindly. “Is Spencer safe? Or do they have him.”

 

Tony piled up the books and shoved the paper and pencil in one of his brother’s old backpacks that he’d stolen. Spencer switched to a leather satchel that Tony bought him, and didn’t use the old backpack anymore. Looking around, Tony packed up faster.

 

“Spencer is at school. He’s really smart and should have been moved up a few years, but Senior wouldn’t let him. Please, can we leave? I don’t feel so good about being here anymore.”

 

“Lead the way, kid,” Bobby said as he and Pastor Jim stood to follow.

 

Looking around once more, Tony led the way out of the building. He didn’t know why, but he knew he would have been caught if he’d stayed. He’d found that he could always tell when Senior or his buddies were near. It was one of the weird things that had started happening to him.

 

He knew that he had to avoid being caught at all costs. If his father or one of his associates saw him with a holy man, they’d kill Aaron and Spencer in a second. He couldn’t have their blood on his hands. He’d take the men to the safest dinner he knew of and finish his story there. They just had to believe him. There just wasn’t any other outcome that he could survive.

 

 


	2. The Story Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony tells Pastor Jim and Bobby what he's been going through. One of the hunters is more accepting than the others, but Tony tries to hold on.

  


Banner by Rivermoon1970  


  


  


Chapter Two: The Story Begins

 

 

 

Tony slid into a booth at Cindy’s Diner downtown. It was run by Cindy Wissinger and her husband Steve who happened to be transsexual. It was located around the corner from one of the police precinct buildings, and about a mile from a federal building that among other things housed one of the locations for the Department of Homeland Security.

 

There was very little chance that Senior or any of his thugs would go somewhere that constantly had a law enforcement presence. There was also the personal aspect to his choice. Cindy and Steve had helped him to feel comfortable with his sexuality, especially considering what he’d been going through for most of that time.

 

It was hard to separate the realization his true sexual orientation from the horror of being forced to have sex with his father’s friends. Sometimes he wondered if his lack of interest in sex was the result of what they’d done to him. Fortunately, he’d been unraveling his sexual leanings before his parents lost their minds and gave themselves over to those things, but figuring out that you weren’t the average red blooded American boy you knew your father would have wanted didn’t help his self-esteem.

 

Forcing himself out of his head, he saw that Bobby and Jim were sitting across from him in the booth studying their menus.

 

“Hey, Tony! New friends today? Are you here for lunch, or to hang out for a while?”

 

Turning his head, Tony smiled at Cindy, who always waited on him when he came in. The booth he’d chosen, which was in the back near the kitchen, and furthest away from the door, was his normal spot. He could often be found in it taking a few hours to himself while Spencer was in school trying to hide from the horrors of his life.

 

Fortunately, Cindy and Steve were both understanding and didn’t push for details he wasn’t willing or able to give. In return, he was always willing to do little jobs around the place, helping where he could. He wasn’t the genius Spencer was, but he’d been a straight A student in school. He also was offered a fairly impressive choice of full rides to Ivy League colleges, but he hadn’t been willing to leave his little brother behind so that he could attend. He could have gone to college locally, but Senior wasn’t willing to let him out of his sphere of influence the amount of time it would take to attend even a local school.

 

“Both I think, Cindy. I’m hungry, but we have some things to discuss.”

 

“Alright, Tony,” Cindy replied eyeing the strangers distrustfully. “I’ll make sure that your interruptions are kept to a minimum.” After taking drink orders, Coke for Tony and Pastor Jim and coffee for Bobby, she left them with instruction to signal if they needed something. Otherwise, she’d take their orders when she dropped off their drinks. Tony waited for her to leave and be a safe distance away that he felt he could talk without being overheard before he continued his story.

 

“My mom is almost never home. There’s always some trip or something that she has to go on. I think that she used to work, but she doesn’t even do that now. Even when she is at home she might as well not be. She pays the most attention to Spencer, but that’s mostly when it’s convenient to her. Then all she does is fill his head with nonsense.”

 

Tony ran the heels of his hands over his forehead before turning his attention to look out the window next to him. “I know that she has to be at least partially responsible for Spencer’s personality change. He was never this big of a bitch before. Now though he’s hateful all the time to pretty much everyone. I hate what he’s becoming, but I have no clue how to change it.”

 

He let himself be distracted by the people on the sidewalk for a moment before he spoke again. “I miss my kid brother, and not just because he thought I was the greatest thing since sliced bread. The only positive to the whole thing is that I am pretty sure that she’s why he hasn’t been touched yet. My mom spoiled him rotten, and whatever they did I can’t imagine she didn’t try to set some safety measures for him. I’ll be honest though. I don’t know enough about all of this to know what that could be, or when it could fail. It’s just another thing that I don’t understand how it works since that’s not really my mom anymore.”

 

“You’ve hinted a few times that you believe that your parents aren’t human. What makes you think that?” Bobby’s gravelly voice sounded to be full of doubt, and it drew Tony’s gaze away from the window. The expression on his face didn’t fill him with any more hope. Slowly he could feel his last chance at being saved slipping through his fingers.

 

Looking down at the table, he pushed away the shredded napkin he hadn’t remembered picking up and pulled out his tablet of paper and pencil so that he could doodle. It always helped him calm down, and sometimes he learned things from what he’d drawn like weird unconscious signals from his otherworldly guardian. If ever he needed calm that was certainly the time.

 

“I know they aren’t human anymore. The demon inside of my father told me. Anthony and Elizabeth Diana DiNozzo are dead. The demons are the only thing keeping their bodies alive. If they are exorcized, they will cease to exist completely. I know that should bother me, but if I have my brothers whole and alive than I am past carrying what happens to my creators.”

 

“So, you’re just going on his word?” Bobby asked this time not even bothering to hide the fact that he thought Tony was an idiot. Unfortunately, the skepticism was something that Tony just didn’t have the mental reserves to withstand, and his confidence in getting the resolution he needed was almost in complete tatters.

 

“What’s the point in all of this?” He asked hearing the despair in his own voice knowing it matched the shattered heart that was scattering pieces of everywhere. He felt his shoulders sag and knew it was time to give up his last little fragment of hope. Picking up his backpack he shoved the paper and pencil back inside. His shaking hands made it difficult to connect the magnetic clasp.

 

“Look, kid…” Bobby started, but Tony just cut him off with an angry glare. The last thing he needed was some asshole to tell him how Tony was wrong, and the old fart knew better when the jerk hadn’t even gotten a quarter of the story. He was supposed to be open minded about all this. Not just another judgmental prick who wouldn’t listen, and ignored the bits of Tony being blown everywhere as he imploded in front of his face.

 

“You two aren’t going to believe me either. You said that you’d listen, but I can’t tell Mr. John Deere Trucker Hat here already fucking thinks that I’m full of shit.” Tony could tell his voice was raised, and knew that he’d draw attention. Unfortunately, he was beyond the point of caring.

 

All he needed was one person to fucking care that he was terrified and offer some safety in the storm. Instead, all he was getting was turned backs and sneering glares. “Lemme tell you if you won’t believe that there are demons in my mom and dad and my dad’s thugs, you’ll never believe the rest. So, I’m back to nothing.

 

“I have no one. My parents are dead. The meat suits walking around aren’t them. My brother Aaron is God knows where. I haven’t heard from him in over 4 years, and for all, I know he’s dead, too. Spencer hates me. I’m letting demons rape me to keep him safe, and all he can do is tell me that I’m a liar because what I claim isn’t possible. He’s more interested in his little teenage dramas, and the puffed up fucking ego demon mommy is creating than hearing that I’m fucking in trouble. I have no friends left because I’m scared shitless that they’d be hurt or worse possessed, too.”

 

Tony yanked the bag off the seat as he stood, throwing it over one shoulder. “I have no one. I have nothing. I am completely alone and without a speck of hope. You two were my last chance at making it out of this, and you won’t even listen to my story. So, what does it matter how the fuck I know? You’re obviously not going to even try and fix this. I don’t understand why you even responded if you aren’t going to consider what I have to say.”

 

“Tony, are you ok over here? Do you need me to call the station?” Tony wiped the angry tears off of his face as he looked at Steve. When the Pastor stood, he instinctively stepped toward the only chance he had for protection. Somewhere inside of him, a voice was saying that he was a grown-up, and at 22 he shouldn’t need someone else to protect him. The huge broken parts inside of him though couldn’t pull themselves together enough though to turn his offer of assistance down.

 

“I’m sorry, sir. This is a misunderstanding. Tony, please, sit down and let’s talk. You’re right. We aren’t keeping our promise. Sir, I promise there won’t be any more problems.”

 

Tony didn’t know what to do. He was so tired and afraid and had no reason to believe that anything would ever get better. Despite everything, these two were still his only chance. Feet heavy with the weight of the despair and feat he was carrying around, Tony slid back into the booth refusing to meet anyone’s eyes.

 

Steve seemed to want a final word before he left. “Keep this in mind, whoever you two are. Tony is a regular here and is important to my wife and me. He’s a lot smarter than anyone gives him credit for because of that younger brother of his. I have heard him speak more today than he has total in the five years that he’s been coming in here. There are days that he doesn’t even speak to Cindy or order. He just points to what he wants on the menu. So, if you upset him again, you’ll be outta here with my boots up both of your asses. Tony, if you need me holler, kid. I will always have your back.”

 

Tony nodded his thanks, and Cindy brought over their food giving Bobby and Jim the evil eye. After she dropped off the plates, she gave Tony’s shoulder a squeeze before leaving. Once he’d calmed down enough that he could speak again, he answered the question asked. His throat was becoming sore and knew it would hurt that night from overuse after going so long with only minimal speech.

 

“I know that they’re telling the truth because I shot my fucking father in the chest the first time he let his boys “have a go at me”. I know because they tried to put one of those things in me but it wouldn’t work. That’s when I truly understood and believed that I was different than most people.”

 

“What do you mean it didn’t work?” Bobby asked, and held up his hands when Jim glared angrily at him. “I just want a little more information. I haven’t heard of a person being able to be protected from possession before. If there’s a way then it would help a lot of hunters if we could get that information out there. I just want to know how the kid did it is all.”

 

“It isn’t because of what I did,” Tony explained quietly and carefully. “Although there are different ways to protect yourself from possession. For people like you two, a tattoo with a specific symbol and ink would probably work best. I can draw up the symbol and write out the ritual you will need to use if you’d like. My protection though isn’t about something external or supernatural that I added. It’s because of who I am, and what I can do.”

 

He paused to wait for the questions, as well as pick through his food. His appetite wasn’t quite what it had been in the library, and the food no longer sounded appetizing. Maybe something was getting through though because even the grumpy asshole Singer just raised an eyebrow at him.

 

“About three years ago, my mom and Senior went away for a long weekend trip somewhere. They said at the time that it was some getaway trip. The demon in Senior later told me that they’d agreed to host them, and went away for some ceremony or ritual or something. Whatever they agreed to was more than the normal, I guess. This special thing required them to be killed so there was no chance of a struggle for dominance. After they returned, it didn’t take long to notice that something was different with them.”

 

Tony sighed and then took a drink of his pop. As he let himself calm down a little more, he focused on his club sandwich and fries before finally continuing.

 

“Senior was never the most affectionate father, and he’s always had a short fuse if he didn’t get his way, but he at least pretended that he liked me. After they got back from their trip, he started hitting me, which he’d never done before. As much as he’d yell before then, he’d never hit me. He drinks all the time now, and the things that he says became more hateful. Before he was about 50/50 on the blowing smoke up my ass or calling me stupid. About a month after they got back was the first time he… loaned me out.”

 

Tony took a deep breath as he pulled his sandwich apart eating the pieces individually, trying not to choke as he swallowed. “I tried to kill him when they came at me. There are always guns around, and I had managed to steal one from one of the trolls that follow him around. The only problem was he didn’t die. Then they tried to possess me, but it wouldn’t work. He got so mad that I ended up getting my ass kicked thoroughly. While I was recovering locked in my room, I started to realize that I wasn’t quite normal. Everything changed after that. I was forced to realize that my weird dreams aren’t well… dreams. They may be weird, but they are not dreams per say.”

 

“I am guessing these dreams are actually visions?” Jim asked gently. Tony was thankful that the pastor seemed to have taken over talking. He wasn’t sure he could react reasonably to anything the other man asked right then.

 

Bobby Singer reminded him of a teacher Spencer once had. The man was essentially a good person. The problem was that he’d made his mind up about Spencer way too early on in the school year, and couldn’t get past his own wrong deductions. It didn’t help that Spencer even at his young age was already smarter than the man, and not world savvy enough to know when not to make it known.

 

Singer seemed to want to help. He’d appeared to be genuine at the library. The problem was Tony guessed, the man seemed to have quickly decided what was going on, and that Tony wasn’t quite all there in the head. Maybe he was right. Maybe he was more broken than he knew. That didn’t mean though that his story was inaccurate or made up. It looked like his hopes and his brother’s lives rested in the hands of this pastor. Tony hoped that the man was worthy.

 

“About six months before all of this, I started having dreams of this man with… with wings trying to talk to me. At first, he was really blurry, and all I could make out was his figure and these things sticking out to the side behind him. Gradually though with each time I saw him, which was every few days, he became a little clearer. Then when I could see him vividly, he started trying to talk to me. That was like the picture though. The words were really super muffled and didn’t make any sense. As time went on though, I began to understand him. He told me that it was because of how I was that I had to learn how to see him and understand his language.

 

“One of the first things he said was that he knew I wouldn’t believe right away, but that he was there to help me in the upcoming months and years. It wasn’t until I tried to shoot my father and he didn’t die that I started to believe that maybe the dreams weren’t stress induced. It occurred to me that maybe if demons were real, maybe something good was trying to help me. Once I opened myself to the notion that he wasn’t just a fantasy, things just…. They just changed.”

 

“Do you know who and what he is?” The pastor asked when Tony paused. He didn’t speak again though right away because he knew that Bobby was absolutely not going to believe anything from there on out. Maybe though… maybe a man of the cloth, maybe a holy man who had devoted his life to God and Angels and all that stuff would believe.

 

“I don’t know for sure,” Tony finally responded. “I have an idea, but for some reason, he won’t confirm it. He said that it wasn’t time yet. He said that there is a lot of things he wants to tell me, but that I have to be ready first otherwise it’ll just do more damage.”

 

“And, what is it you think he is?” Singer asked breaking his silence.

 

Tony clenched his jaw as he glared at the man while trying to come to a decision in his head. Eventually, he decided that there were few black and white truths in this whole thing.

 

The first was that Tony knew something had to change. He needed some help. The second was that this Pastor Jim was probably his best chance at getting that help. Then there was the fact that whoever or whatever this… being was that had been speaking to him. It was real, and it was on his side. It had shown him Singer and Jim’s appearances. It had shown him some things about the two of them to aid him in his eliciting their help. Singer from his past, and Murphy from his future.

 

The last was that whatever was going on right then… there was something bigger coming in the distance. Tony didn’t know when or what, but he knew that there was a bigger purpose to all of this. He just had to find the right people before he’d be given everything he needed from his Guide. Somehow, someway the two men across the table from him were a huge part of it.

 

So, with these facts clenched tight to the center of truth in his mind, he lifted his chin and answered the older man. Regardless of whether he believed now, he knew that the man would believe eventually. He’d try his best not to say he told him so when it happened.

 

“He’s an Angel. I believe with every fiber of my being that the man speaking to me in my visions is an Angel of God, and he’s here to help me save us all.”

  



	3. Angels and Turmoil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony finishes his story, and then after an exhausting day has a run-in with his little brother that doesn't go well. Once he falls asleep, he finds himself drawn to a familiar safe haven and the one person or being he knows has his back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter of the backstory left after this, and then the story will jump to Supernatural Season 3 & 4 Timeline.

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 **Chapter Three:** _Angels and Turmoil_

 

 

“You expect me to believe that some Angel is talking to you? You expect me to believe that they even exist?”

 

“Singer,” Jim started to speak, but Tony cut him off. He just wasn’t willing to deal with him anymore.

 

“How can you not believe in Angels, Mr. Singer?”

 

The two fell silent, but eventually, Bobby got over his confusion at the question enough to speak. “Excuse me? What does that mean?”

 

Tony slouched down in the booth slightly and shoved the plate away to be picked up by Cindy. He’d just have to go hungry. The food wasn’t going to stay down if he forced it.

 

“After my Guide and I started being able to communicate, he explained some things to me. He told me that there were things about me and about what he needed from me that he couldn’t tell me yet. He also gave me some things. Some extras he called them to get me through until I had protection, and some things I needed to tell the truth from the lies. So, that’s where my dreams or visions came in. He said he and I being able to talk was a product of him deciding to be my Guide.

 

“Unfortunately, he told me that he couldn’t always show up in my dreams because he had to be careful that he wasn’t found. So, when he couldn’t show up in person, he would give me visions. Sometimes they would be things that would come far down the road. Sometimes they would be things that would be closer. Sometimes they would be things that had passed to validate or dispute what the demons had said.”

 

Lifting his gaze, Tony looked Bobby Singer straight in eye eyes hoping that Pastor Jim was as firmly on his side as it felt. “I would think that a man who had watched his wife be possessed by a demon, would be more prone to believe in Angels. Do you really think that evil exists without good? The universe doesn’t work like that. Hell, I’m just basically a kid as far as experiences go compared to you two and I know that.”

 

“How the hell!” Bobby snapped but was cut off before he could continue.

 

“I just told you,” Tony interrupted. “At this point, I don’t care if you believe me. I, most of the time, don’t understand what the visions are telling me, but the longer I talk to you, the more I realize that there is no convincing you now. You’ve made up your mind about my story. It doesn’t take a psychic or an empath to see that you don’t believe most of my story. That’s fine. Because see, the day will come when you do believe me. There will be a moment when the truth smacks you in the face, and not even you will be able to deny it. When we see each other again after that though, count on me telling you that I told you so. I think I am gonna be a little bit petty about this whole thing. I’m pretty sure I’m earning it.”

 

Turning his attention away from the Doubting Thomas, Tony looked at Pastor Jim. “I need to know if you believe what I am saying is possible. I need to know that someone on this fucked up planet believes in me.”

 

The Pastor smiled at him, but Tony couldn’t place the expression until several minutes later when he realized it was fondness. It had been quite a long time since someone smiled at him that way. Since Aaron left in fact. Suddenly he just wanted to curl up in the man’s arms and hear him whisper that it would be ok like Aaron used to when he was a child and it was thundering outside.

 

“My son, I am a servant of the Lord. I didn’t sign up for this life just so I could hunt ghosts and demons. I believe that Jesus died on the cross to save our souls. I believe that God created heaven and earth. I believe that Eve ate the fruit from the tree after being manipulated by the serpent. I believe that Moses parted the Red Sea to save the Israelites from the cruel Pharaoh and that he got two tablets of stone filled with commandments on the mountain top from God. I very definitely believe that there are Angels in heaven and that one could have reached out to you to Guide you through this.”

 

Tony could feel the tears in his eyes and embarrassed brushed them away only they wouldn’t stop. It has been so fucking long since someone believed in him. He’d been just existing for what seemed like ages on nothing but the dust remains of the love his big brother gave him. Every night he slept with his hand clenched around the dog tags that he never took off. Now, this stranger walks into his life and just believes some crazy story.

 

Reaching down his shirt front, he pulled out the dog tags so that the two men could see them. “My big brother gave me these before he left the last time. I haven’t taken them off once since then. I believe that if I don’t follow the demon inhabiting Senior that he’ll kill Aaron and hurt Spencer. Every day he taunts me, ridicules me, beats me. Several times a week I am to make myself available to his friends. Some demon, some human, but all of them want things from me that I don’t want to give. I don’t… I’ve never felt like most guys. I’ve never understood locker room talk after gym class.

 

“Cindy and Steve helped me understand that I’m not defective or broken sexually. What I am is what is called homoromantic asexual. It means that romantically I am attracted to men, but I am not sexually attracted to anyone. So, having to let these… men fuck me to save my brothers lives is literally torture. Even if they were only humans it would be torture, but the fact that several of them are demons too makes it worse.”

 

Tony took a deep breath wiping his face off once more, before pulling his coke over and draining it. Looking around he signaled Cindy for more and remained quiet as the woman came over. He watched silently as she refilled drinks, and took plates making sure to give her what he hoped was a reassuring smile before she left. Once she was gone, he continued his story.

 

“If there is any silver lining to this whole horrible mess, it’s that the demons I’m around are really damned chatty. They like to talk, and I have a feeling that they’re talking about things that I am not supposed to know. There’s bad coming. The worst bad that could possibly happen to us as a human race. My Guide hasn’t confirmed it yet, but I can tell he knows something. Sometimes I get a glimpse of another man… well, a kid really. I think that I’m supposed to find him. I can’t do that without my brothers though. Which is where you two come in.”

 

Taking another long drink of his coke, Tony gathered the last of his reserve of hope and dove in. “I need you two to exorcize the demons in my parents’ meat suits. I have to have my brothers’ safe. I can’t do what I have to do without them.”

 

“And, what about Spencer?” Jim asked gently. “You indicated that you were having problems with him. How are you going to resolve that?”

 

Tony just shook his head and shrugged. “I honestly have no idea, but I am gonna have to find a way.”

 

Tony smiled sadly. “After all, I am my brother’s keeper.”

 

Jim inclined his head to one side as if agreeing reluctantly. Having run out of words, Tony turned his attention to the window and let his mind roam free. He was done speaking for the moment.

 

Later that evening, Tony was lying in his bed listening to a Korn and Limp Bizkit mix CD when his door opened, and Spencer stomped in.

 

“Where are mom and dad?”

 

Lowering his gaze from the ceiling that he’d been zoned in on, Tony shrugged his shoulders as he studied his little brother. “Why do you have to be so weird? Use words, Tony!”

 

Huffing, Tony pushed himself up and rested his back against the wall beside his bed. Stubbornly he studied his brother for a while, not really feeling the urge to work on the little brat’s schedule. Times like this it was hard to remember why he wanted to save the snot so bad.

 

“WHERE ARE THEY!?” Spencer shouted stomping his foot, but Tony just lifted an eyebrow unimpressed. When words finally did come out of his mouth, they weren’t what he’d expected. He was definitely going to blame Bobby Singer for putting him in a mood.

 

“What happened to you, Spencer?”

 

“What the fuck does that mean? Nothing happened to me, except you are a dickface that won’t answer my question.” Spencer snapped. Tony just ignored the insults though. He was well used to them by then.

 

“You used to be a good person, Spencer. You used to treat people with respect. I know that at 15 you don’t wanna hang out with your big brother. Hell, when I was your age I was happy that Aaron was at college. I still respected him though. I still loved him. I didn’t call him names like dickface or asshole or loser. Certainly not with the hatred that you do when you speak to me. I didn’t tell him he was stupid, and even when I didn’t agree with him I at least listened to him and considered what he was saying.

 

“I know you think that you’re the smartest person that ever lived, and I know that I’m not as smart as you are. But Spencer, I’m not as dumb as you think. All your logic and facts and book knowledge aren’t going to save you from what’s coming.”

 

“Jesus not this shit about mom and dad, again! Why do you have to be such a liar?!” Spencer bit back scowling angrily.

 

“Yesterday, dad brought one of his friends over and they raped me.” Tony stopped for a moment, frozen at the sound of the words coming out of his mouth with Spencer in the room. Forcing himself to continue, he pulled his shirt off so that his little brother could see the bruises and burns and marks left by the beatings and the sexual attacks.

 

“When they were done dad beat me because I wasn’t thankful enough. Not that I think it’s dad anymore. I just say dad because you don’t believe that there is something in dad and mom… that there are demons in dad and mom, doesn’t make it untrue.”

 

“You’re really fucking disturbed. You know that?” Spencer spat once more, and Tony tried to keep a lid on his pain.

 

“And you are not the little brother that I had when Aaron left us the last time. For the record, you little brat, it hurt me too. You aren’t the only one who he left. You aren’t the only one scared shitless that he won’t ever come back, or that he’ll only come back in a fucking metal box. I realize that the thing in mom has your head so full of BS that you can’t see beyond your own presumed greatness. I want you to know though that when this is over, I will still love you. I will always love you. I just don’t like you very much right now.”

 

Laying back down, Tony stared at the ceiling, determined to ignore his brother until this was all over. He wouldn’t abandon his mission though. Aaron had assigned him the task of watching out for him, and he would protect him as much as possible even if it killed him.

 

“I don’t know where the meat suits are. Now go away, and stay out of my room unless you are in trouble. You’re a really piss poor brother, Spencer. When this is all over, I’m not just going to forgive you I think. I’m not talking anymore now. See yourself out of my room.”

 

The sound of the door slamming and a picture falling off his wall signaled his brother’s exit. Reaching for the remote, he turned up the volume on Disturbed and let the music break the barriers holding in his pain. With only Spencer home, he didn’t have to worry that anyone would intrude on his tears for the next ten something minutes.

 

Tony didn’t remember falling asleep but knew he was when he looked around and saw the familiar English pub instead of his bedroom. Sitting up on the red leather bench seat that he’d been laying on, he looked around for his Guide without seeing him. For several moments though, he just sat there and let all the pain just drain away.

 

He liked this place. Not for the first time, he wondered if this place really existed somewhere. If it didn’t it needed to. The walls above his head were painted dark green, and lined with shelves that held random pictures. He could always hear the sound of a crackling fire and smell the scent of fish and chips. Standing, he made his way through to the bar. It was a long dark mahogany with beer taps, and a row of red plaid covered stools. At one end, there were two jars with pictures of dogs on them. Peeking inside he saw that today the one was filled with chocolate chip cookies. Scooting around behind, he poured himself a draft from the tap. Then with cookies in hand, he made his way to the back where the private room was. He guessed that was where he’d find his Guide. He wasn’t always in the same place, but the private room in the back seemed to be his favorite.

 

Sure enough, when he reached the room, the fire he’d heard cracking could be seen in the fire place. His Guide was seated in one of two leather chairs positioned in front of it. A cigarette in one hand and a tumbler of what he guessed was scotch in the other. Making his way over, Tony settled in beside the being and waited for him to speak. Sometimes it happened right off, and sometimes it took a while. Sometimes he was full of laughter and jokes, and others he was maudlin with tales of nothing but sadness and anger. One thing that could be certain was that he could not be rushed.

 

He knew he must have fallen into a zone staring at the flames because the sound of the man’s British accent startled him. “Family can be the best thing in the world, and the worst. Sometimes all at once. They have the ability to make everything better with just a single look or word of love. They can also cause a pain worse than your worst enemy just as easily. I am sorry that I can’t do something about Spencer. Unfortunately, he is outside of my realm of influence at the moment. That bitch inhabiting your mother’s body has him sealed off from heaven’s guidance.”

 

“So, it is her fault that he’s changed so much?” Tony asked, wondering if the words should bring as much relief as they did.

 

The blond nodded and took a drag from his cigarette before going on. “He’s young, and easily influenced. Fortunately, she is unable to do any permanent damage. They’d like to sink their claws into him, but I did manage to at least prevent that.”

 

“He doesn’t have his own… well, you?” Tony asked turning his body slightly so that he could look at the man. When he got a quick smile, he felt more of his hurt lessen. Sometimes he wished that he could just stay in this pub forever.

 

“Technically speaking yes, but not quite my level no. You did good today, Boyo. I know it’s probably hard to see at the moment but the ol’ geezer will come around eventually. As you said today, he won’t really have a choice.”

 

“So, you were watching?” Tony asked hesitantly, and the Guide just shot him a look of amusement.

 

“I told you before, mate, I am always watching. I was certainly watching your biggest milestone so far. I am proud of you. It wasn’t easy, but you battled through and didn’t let him pull you into an argy-bargy.”

 

Tony grinned big. “I know that one! Argument, right?”

 

“Right-O chap! You’re catching on!”

 

Tony snorted amused as he sipped his beer. “You don’t really give me much choice.”

 

The man or being shrugged and returned his gaze to the fire. “You were right by the way. I am an Angel. I am an archAngel to be exact. I can’t tell you my name just yet. It wouldn’t be safe for either of us, but I thought it was time that you knew you were right about what I am. Jim Murphy is a good man. One of the few true men of the cloth in my estimation. He will serve you well over the years. You have my word that you can trust him. He’ll get you out of this jam. That ol’ geezer will too for that matter. He just won’t believe the bit about what I am just yet. They won’t be your only help though. Don’t you fret.”

 

When the Angel turned his gaze back toward him, Tony felt himself relax at the open affection in the man’s eyes. “You are worth going against the others for, Boyo. I promise I won’t let you end up on this path alone. You have my word.”

 

Nodding Tony yawned and turned his eyes back to the fire eventually falling asleep. Next, to him the Angel smiled and snapping his fingers covered him with a blanket. He’d let the boy sleep there as long as he could. His mortal body needed it. Turning his attention back to the flames, the Angel thought back on the visit he’d made a few months back. More than ever he knew that it had been the right thing to do.

 

He’d been watching over his charge. Tony was recovering from another deplorable afternoon with those abominations, and he could see that the boy was near the end of his rope. Oh, sure in human years he was a man, but to an archAngel as old as the earth itself, he was still just a child. It was painful to watch someone that he’d grown to care about go through such a thing. He hated that he couldn’t step in and stop it.

 

Unfortunately, to do so would reveal him to the others, and nothing good could come from that. He’d been debating his options when he felt the presence of the only of his brethren who knew about this place. Turning his head, he snorted as he saw Samael walk in carrying a bottle of the American beer he favored.

 

“Well look what the dogs dragged in. Samael, I am surprised to see you so far away from your charge.”

 

The other Angel sat and rolled his eyes. “He’s studying for a test. His dad and brother have gone on a hunt and left him behind for once. I thought I would come see what you’re angsting about. I could feel you emoting all the way over on my boat. Tony have a rough evening, Azrael?”

 

 The elder Angel nodded as he refilled the scotch in his hand with only a thought. “I need to do something more. He can’t continue as he is. There won’t be enough left of him to stop what’s to come if I don’t find a way to stop those blights.”

 

“Well, I might have an idea. Have you thought of encouraging him to seek out one of the hunters?”

 

Azrael tilted his head to one side. “Thought about it. I need the right one though, and I don’t know exactly who that is at the moment. He needs someone that can help long term. Not just now.”

 

Samael nodded and held out a paper. “I might have your solution. There is a hunter named Bobby Singer. He can help with the immediate problem. His wife died while being possessed by a demon. I am not sure he’d be right long term. Plus, he’s closely associated with my boy, but… His father has a friend that I think would be perfect for your Tony.”

 

Azrael frowned. “You think one of John Winchester’s friends would be good for my broken boy? Have you gone daft?”

 

Samael held up a hand. “This one isn’t like John. Hell, Bobby isn’t for that matter, he’s just a little… too gruff for what your boy needs at the moment. He and John have a friend though who is a Pastor. His name is Jim Murphy. He’s one of the faithful and true. Sam was talking to him today on the phone. That’s where I got the idea.”

 

Azrael turned the idea over in his head. “I will look in on this holy man. If I agree then I will set things in motion with Tony. I need more than that though.”

 

“Why are you such a Debby downer today? Something else happen?”

 

Azrael sighed aggravated. “I checked in on big brother the other day and overheard him speaking with one of the men in his unit. He’s thinking of signing up for longer. He’s going to just leave those boys alone.”

 

“Well to be fair, he thinks that they’re ok. Have you thought about just talking to him yourself?”

 

Azrael frowned and turned to look at his friend. “Like what? Just pop in for a visit?”

 

“Why not? We’ve been visiting men and women in battle for centuries. It isn’t like it would be unusual. Tell him enough to get him home. Tell him that his brother is in danger, and he needs him. I saw Aaron Hotchner’s Guardian Angel the other day, and he says that he’s a good man. He thinks that his brothers have turned their backs on him because he isn’t getting letters.”

 

Azrael sighed agitated and shook his head. “The fuckin’ wanker. As if Tony would turn his back on him. The boy practically worships the ground he walks on. How would I do this without the guardian finding out? They can’t know I am still alive, Samael.”

 

“He’s moved on for a day or two. If you go tonight he won’t see. Once he returns he’ll find out that someone visited, but he won’t know who. Obviously, our brothers don’t know your vessel. So, they’ll have no idea it’s you. It’s the only thing that makes Sense, Az. As you said, your boy needs help.”

 

Turning the idea over in his head, Azrael tried to come up with another idea, but in the end, knew that it was the only way. Nodding his thanks, he disappeared from the pub leaving Samael to his beer. He had a big brother to straighten out.

 

Homing in on Aaron Hotchner, Azrael found the man in his tent alone. He didn’t know how on earth he got so lucky but wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Moving to the man’s side he slowly made himself visible, smirking at the man’s start.

 

“What the fuck! Who are you!?”

 

Azrael rolled his eyes at the gun pointed at his face, and with a flick of his wrist, the weapon was moved to the other side of the tent. “I don’t think there is a need for such dramatics, mate. That weapon won’t work on me.”

 

He saw Aaron look around and sighed when he called for help.

 

“They can’t hear you. I can assure you that I am not here to hurt you. Just the opposite in fact. You are making decisions based on poor information, and if you go through with them your brothers won’t survive.”

 

“What the hell are you? What do you know about my brothers?”

 

Azrael studied his boy’s older brother. This wasn’t the first time he’d checked on the man, and he always had torn feelings about his decision to leave the two at their parents’ mercy. Deciding that he didn’t have time for this game of twenty questions, he decided to pull out the big guns. He just hoped that no one in heaven was paying attention.

 

Letting loose on his grace gradually, Azrael let his grace glow casting the shadow of his wings on the back of the tent. “My name isn’t important right now, but what I am is an Angel of God. I have been watching over your brother Anthony, and I am here to tell you that he’s in danger. You need to get home as soon as possible. He won’t survive long without you. Things with your mother and step-father didn’t go as you planned. They have sold themselves to demons, and your brothers need you. Return home, Aaron Hotchner, before it’s too late, and you have no siblings left.”

 

Sensing his time was running low, Azrael disappeared in a flash of light. He could only hope that the elder brother would do as he suggested. Tony’s life depended upon it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I picture Azrael as being Sean Bean. You can find the character listing for this story at my WordPress page [Here](http://angelicinsanity.com/2017/08/06/apocalypse-reinvented-character-listing/)


	4. The End of the Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pastor Jim and Bobby finally get rid of the demons on Senior and Mrs. DiNozzo. Spencer doesn't take the exorcism well. Things get interesting when Aaron comes home, and Tony discovers something unexpected about himself. Finally, the three brothers are back together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter without Sam. Woot! There will be a time jump in the next chapter to take us to the time between Supernatural Seasons 3 & 4.
> 
> I don't remember if I mentioned before, but this is a completed story. It is NOT a WIP. All 11 chapters are fully written. I won't be around next Sunday, as I will be out of town. Posting will be delayed until at least Monday, but possibly Tuesday. I greatly appreciate those of you that are reading.

Banner by Rivermoon1970

 

 

A week later, Tony was sitting on the sofa in his father’s study watching Pastor Jim and Bobby Singer finally getting rid of the demons in his parent’s dead bodies. The two men had spent that time hunting down and exorcising as many of Senior’s followers as Tony was aware of. There had been the chance that his parents would catch on, but they hadn’t had any other option.

 

Fortunately, things had gone smoothly up to that afternoon. They’d hoped, or at least Tony had, to keep Spencer out of this last step. There was no part of watching his parents have demons exorcised from their corpses that he wanted his little brother to see. Of course, it didn’t go that way. Spencer ignored Tony’s request not to come home until he said it was ok, and thus he was sitting in a chair for a front row seat. Bobby argued that, as hard as it would be on the kid, maybe it was for the best.

 

Tony hated that there was a part of himself that agreed with the ol’ geezer, as his Angel would say. He’d spent the last week in silence and received more than a few new bruises for it. He didn’t care though. He knew all he had to do was make it through this double exorcism, and they’d not be able to touch him again.

 

Spencer had been more spiteful than normal since their confrontation. When he’d walked in and seen his mother and father tied to chairs, he’d tried to get to them. While a part of him could understand, a larger part was incredibly frustrated and fed up. Tony though for once had used his size against his younger and slighter brother. As the smaller boy fought him screaming and kicking, Tony had turned him and forced him to watch as both Bobby and Pastor him poured Holy Water on Senior and their mom. When he accused them of using acid and not water, Bobby turned and threw some of it on him.

 

Tony felt a little bad as his brother screamed in fright, but fortunately, he quickly quieted down. He was now sitting in a chair in a corner of the room away from the action. His arms were wrapped around himself, and he had his knees pulled up to his chest. He could almost see his brother breaking under the realization that just maybe he had been wrong. Tony didn’t have time for that at the moment though because there was something about the exorcism tickling his mind.

 

He certainly wasn’t an expert on these things. His Angel, as he’d come to refer to the man since receiving confirmation of what he was, made it clear early in their conversations that he would not be able to do the exorcism on his own. Tony wasn’t sure he understood it exactly, but from what he gathered, the shaggy dark-haired boy he’d been having visions of was the yin to his yang. Tony affected Angels and the other affected demons. Because Tony’s powers affected Angels, he on his own, had no effect on demons directly.

 

There was something about that though that was tickling his brain. Like he had the feeling that he should be involved somehow. He just didn’t know what he was supposed to do, or how it would help. Because of that, he’d stayed out of it and let the experts do their thing.

 

They had two devil’s traps painted on the floor. His father tied to a chair inside one and his mother tied to a chair inside the other with a circle of salt around each one. There was something inside of him screaming that he needed to do something, but he was so goddamned scared. He just… He didn’t… He couldn’t…

 

“What the fuck is going on in here?”

 

Shocked to hear a new voice, everything stopped. Quickly, Tony turned his head toward the familiar sound, not trusting his ears. There was no way the voice belonged to who he thought it did.

 

Before he could move though, he heard Spencer stand and speak. “Aaron! Thank God, you’re home! You have to stop this insanity! They’re hurting mom and dad! Stop them!”

 

Jumping up, Tony scowled and when his younger brother jumped up to run toward his big brother, Tony caught him easily. Almost growling with frustration, he practically threw the smaller boy back toward his chair. He couldn’t believe that the boy still didn’t believe after everything that he’d seen. It was as if his refusal to see reality severed the last thread between then.

 

“Tony, what the fuck is going on?” Aaron asked again, and Tony could feel his older brother coming up behind him. Turning his head, he growled seeing that he’d left the leather cuffs that he’d been threatening Spencer with on the sofa he’d been on.

 

Unfortunately, the younger boy used his distraction to try and escape by lashing out with his fists. When Tony ended up with a fist to his eye, it cracked the wall keeping in his temper. Once more he shoved the boy backward, seeing his head hit the wooden shelving behind him with a crack.

 

Turning he glared at his older brother who was moving toward the two men. “YOU DON’T GET TO INTERFERE, AARON!”

 

Taking advantage of Spencer’s dazed state and Aarons stunned disbelief, he stomped over and grabbed the cuffs glaring at his older brother. “You deserted us! Left us here ALONE. You fucking ran off because you couldn’t take it and left two kids here by ourselves with people you hated. Well, welcome the fuck home, Aaron.”

 

Ignoring his sore throat from not talking all week, Tony put the cuffs on Spencer behind the chair so he couldn’t get up. “Mom and dad are meat suit hosts to fucking demons. We’re trying to fix this. Spencer refuses to believe even now that I could be right. It’s not fucking working. I’m scared and lost and don’t understand what I’m feeling like I should be doing and I’ve been fucking without hope so long I don’t think I’ll get it back. You don’t fucking get to come home now and have shit to say about this situation. I’m not sure you’re even my brother anymore. YOU LEFT US WITH THIS!”

 

By the time he was done yelling and taking care of Spencer, the room was dead quiet, except for the sound of crying that was coming from Tony himself. Soon though laughter started coming from the demon inside Senior, and Tony barely stopped himself from crossing a line he knew he wouldn’t be forgiven for.

 

He didn’t understand what he needed to do. He felt so broken inside and didn’t think he’d ever find all of his parts again. He just… He just… He…

 

“I had a visitor a couple months ago,” Aaron said breaking through the sound of the demonic laughter. “A friend of yours with a British accent came to see me.”

 

Tony turned his eyes toward his older brother and tried not to be moved by the shimmer of tears in his eyes. “You’re right, T-bird. I don’t have a right. I abandoned you. I should never have left, and I don’t deserve to be your brother anymore. I’d like to be though. Whatever you have going on here… I’ll back you. Whatever these guys are doing with mom and Senior, whatever reason you have Spencer cuffed to a chair, I will back you. Tell me what you want me to do. If you don’t have the answers, just do what you always do. Go with it until you do.”

 

Tony stared hard at his brother. The fear and anger and almost overwhelming relief mixing inside of him. “I am so fucking mad at you. I was so fucking scared you’d never come back. Go guard Spencer. I don’t trust him anymore. He’s… he’s changed too much for me to believe he’ll do anything but try and stop this. He’s… just keep him in the chair and quiet. He’s caused enough problems for me while you’ve been gone.”

 

Aaron nodded and lifted a hand to touch his brother’s shoulder. Tony tensed waiting for it but watched as he just dropped it back to his side. He didn’t know if he was relieved, disappointed, or both.

 

Crossing to where Jim and Bobby stood, Tony stopped between the two of them. Holding out his hands, he took a deep breath. “You each need to take one of my hands. I can help. I can’t explain it, and I don’t understand how but… I just…. Take my hand.”

 

Closing his eyes, Tony tried to find the thread that was pulling at him. Not knowing what he was doing, Tony grabbed the fragile end and followed it like a trail of bread crumbs through a forest. When he got to the end, he saw the part of himself where he kept the bits he’d gotten from his Angel. Reaching out in his mind, he grabbed the glowing ball of light and held on as the exorcism started back up in the study.

 

“Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica. Ergo, omnis legio diabolica, adiuramus te...cessa decipere humanas creaturas, eisque æternæ perditionìs venenum propinare...Vade, satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciæ, hostis humanæ salutis...Humiliare sub potenti manu Dei; contremisce et effuge, invocato a nobis sancto et terribili nomine...quem inferi tremunt...Ab insidiis diaboli, libera nos, Domine. Ut Ecclesiam tuam secura tibi facias libertate servire, te rogamus, audi nos.”

 

It was like what he imagined being caught in a tornado would feel like. He could feel the violent forces battling in him and around him. He could hear a roar, and when he opened his eyes he saw a black cloud like stuff pouring out of his parents’ mouths. Inhumane shrieks echoed off the walls as the things sought safety, but there was nowhere to go. Somehow, he knew that someday there would be another part. When he found his other half, he knew that they’d be able to kill these things forever. Today wasn’t that day though. So, for now, they were left to be swallowed up into the pit of fire that opened in the floor sending them back to where they belonged.

 

Finally, it was over. His parents were dead. The demons inhabiting their bodies were sent back to hell. Aaron was home, and Spencer hadn’t been harmed. All that was left were the scars and the pain. He could only hope that they would heal with time.

 

Tony released Pastor Jim and Bobby’s hands and feeling like he was trying to walk through wet cement made his way back to the couch.

 

“What’d you do, kid? I thought that you couldn’t do an exorcism.” Tony looked to Singer blinking at the older man.

 

“I didn’t do the exorcism. You and Pastor Jim did. I didn’t say a word. I just kind of gave you a direct connection sorta between yourselves and my Angel.”

 

“So, you’re like an Angel powered signal booster?” Bobby asked sounding more than a little skeptical, and Tony shrugged. He had kinda gotten used to it. It wasn’t that he accepted it, but more like he chose to ignore it. That “I told you so” was going to feel good when he got to say it.

 

“I guess basically. Can I get some orange juice or something?”

 

“I’ll get it, son,” Jim offered and headed toward the kitchen.

 

“I am hallucinating,” Spencer said from the corner. “Tony must have drugged me, and I’m hallucinating. None of this is logical or possible. This has to be a trick somehow.”

 

Tony turned his head toward his younger brother feeling nothing but disbelief.

 

“Jesus Christ, you’re a fuckin’ pig-headed brat,” Bobby spat drawing the attention of the three brothers.

 

Tony felt the sofa dip and noticed Aaron moved to sit next to him. This time when his brother reached out, the touch connected. It was as if he could feel his brother’s love and concern for him flowing through the contact. He’d never felt anything like it before and wondered if it was something else his Angel had gifted him with.

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bobby moving to stand in front of Spencer. A part of him felt like he should be interjecting himself into the situation. It was the tiny piece seep inside of himself that still believed the kid brother he loved so much still existed.

 

The larger part of himself was more than content to sit back and watch the train wreck that was unfolding. The older man had stopped in front of the chair that Spencer was still restrained to.

 

“You have got to be the biggest idjit that I have ever met in my life. Lemme tell you that is a goddamned accomplishment on your part considering I know John Winchester and both of his fool boys.”

 

“I’m a genius,” Spencer corrected frowning up at the man.

 

“Whoopie fucking shit, kid. What in God’s name does that have to do with you bein’ a damned snot nosed idjit? You can have all the damned book smarts in the world, but if you can’t take any of that knowledge and use it to help people then it ain’t doin' you a lick of good.”

 

“Your brother here has spent the last three plus years getting’ his ass kicked along with other ungodly things to protect your ungrateful ass. You just sat here and watched us exorcize demons from the dead bodies of your parents. Instead of apologizing to him for your bullshit and thank him for keeping you safe, you accuse him of drugging you. You know what? You’re right.”

 

Bobby took off his ballcap and ran a hand over his balding head before putting it back on.

 

“The Winchesters are the three biggest idjit pains in my ass I’ve ever met. One concept that they’ve never had to learn though is to be thankful for family. Those boys may bicker like five-year old’s, but they’d never go through what your brother just did without offering a thank you and a goddamned hug.

 

“You are an ungrateful, spiteful, spoiled, and self-absorbed little boy. I’m not gonna say that I believe all the nonsense that’s comin’ outta you’[re brother’s mouth. Personally, I think that he’s not playing with a full deck of cards when it comes to this Angel bullshit, but that ain’t got jack shit to do with you being an obnoxious brat.”

 

When Jim handed him the glass of juice, Tony startled slightly. He was more than a little surprised at Singer’s defense. It must have been plain to see on his face because the Pastor just smiled and winked before moving away.

 

“Now kid, it’s time that you pulled your head out of your ass, and let some air out of that overinflated ego of yours. Newsflash! Demons are real. You just watched a fuckin exorcism. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, shadow people, shape shifters and a shit load more are all real. It’s time you started usin’ them brains of yours for somethin’ useful. It’s also time that you showed a little gratitude and learned some humility. If you were my kid, your ass’d be red right now.

 

“It sucks that you gotta learn alla this at 15. It could be worse though. Just ask your brother Tony.”

 

Too tired to listen anymore, Tony stood and left the room. Carrying his juice, he made his way to his bedroom shutting the door behind him. After loading up the CD player with Savage Garden and Matchbox Twenty, he propped himself up against the headboard of his bed and stared out the window letting his mind wander. He wanted to think about anything but what had happened, and found his thoughts going to a boy with brown shaggy hair and dimples when he smiled.

 

Several hours later his eyes were gritty and his head hurt from the swirl of thoughts that wouldn’t still. Because he’d heard the others talking out in the hallway, he knew that Pastor Jim was sleeping in Spencer’s room and that his younger brother had been taken back to their hotel with Singer.

 

He appreciated the space they were giving him. He’d spent so long focused on almost nothing but protecting Spencer and feeling like a complete failure at it that he hadn’t realized just exactly how mad he was at the kid. Unlike Aaron, Spencer had been there. He’d seen things first hand. Sure, Tony tried to keep as much as he could from him, but there had been enough that had slipped out into the open that there shouldn’t have been any reason to question Tony’s claims.

 

But, instead, he put on blinders and couldn’t even offer comfort and support behind closed doors. Tony was trying desperately to chalk it up to age and immaturity. It wasn’t helping much though at that point. Tony had effectively been fighting demons and Spencer, too. He needed to not have to be so angry at one of them anymore. He needed something of his relationship with his big brother back. Somewhere in a part of his mind, he wondered if Spencer ever felt like that. Stubbornly he shoved that away though because there was no way to know the answer to that.

 

When Tony was little and he got scared in the middle of the night, he’d run down the hall to Aaron’s room. There had never been a question of being let in. The door had always been left open just for such a situation. Until a few years back, he’d always done the same for Spencer. At some point, after Aaron left at the end of his leave, his younger brother had stopped coming in, and eventually, the door had closed at night. It had been kept firmly closed ever since, though he couldn’t help but wonder what that said.

 

Getting up, he crossed to the door, and opening it stood looking up and down the hallway. The house was dark and quiet. He could almost hear the echo of the unspeakable things that had happened there. Suddenly, he had the urge to just burn it all down.

 

Moving down the hall, he stopped at Aaron’s door. Aaron’s wide-open door. He found himself choked up from the rush of emotion at the sight. Even after everything, it was still open. Briefly, he wondered if he’d ever be able to be as good of a brother to Spencer as Aaron was to him. Rubbing his hands over his face, he took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down and then stepped up to stand in the doorway.

 

Aaron’s bed sat where it always had in one of the corners of the room with the headboard and one side touching walls. There was a window on the wall that ran the length of the bed. When he was little he’d crawl over the baseboard, and up the bed to get under the covers. Aaron had always kept himself between Tony and the monsters chasing him in the dark.

 

That was until his big brother ran away and left Tony with monsters worse than the ones that used to hide under his mattress.

 

“Tony?”

 

Moving his gaze off the empty side of the queen bed, Tony saw Aaron watching him in the moonlight.

 

“Monsters are real.”

 

“I know, T. I’m so sorry.” Aaron offered. The remorse in his voice sounded real, but Tony wasn’t sure that he trusted himself and his judgment anymore.

 

“I failed,” Tony whispered hanging his head and feeling like the child that he once was.

 

“You didn’t,” Aaron disagreed trying to draw Tony’s attention away from his self-doubt.

 

“Look at what he’s become!” Tony protested. “Bobby’s right. He’s ungrateful, spiteful, spoiled, and self-absorbed. I did that somehow. You put me in charge of protecting him and look what happened.”

 

“Yes, please, look what happened, T-bird. He’s alive. None of those things were caused by anything that hurt him. All that I can tell that happened is some manipulation. I spoke with him after you left the room. He confessed that they never once touched him negatively. No beatings. No verbal abuse. No rape. You achieved your mission. He’s a 15-year-old. I don’t know about you, but I remember being a pain in the ass when I was that age. This isn’t on you. I let you down. I left you with a man I hated. This cluster isn’t on you.”

 

“I’m scared,” Tony whispered and he could just barely make out his brother nodding in the darkness.

 

“So am I,” Aaron confessed then pulled back the blankets on the empty side of the bed between himself and the wall. “Come tell me about it.”

 

Nodding, Tony pushed away from the door jamb he’d leaned on, and after crossing the room climbed over the baseboard, and crawled under the covers. Once settled and laying on his side looking at his brother, he started the story of the dreams that were really visions, which led to the story of an Angel that had visited them both.

 

“So, you said that he gave you things? Like what? Just the visions, or are there other things? And, what are these visions of? Does this guy even have a name?”

 

“Dude! Slow down with the questions already. Let’s see. I am sure that he has a name, but he won’t tell me what it is yet. He says that revealing it at the wrong time would put both him and me in danger. I have decided recently though that I am going to call him James Bond until he does.”

 

Tony could hear the faint chuckle from Aaron. “I am sure he’ll be thrilled to find out that you’ve named him after a British fictional spy. Not everyone with a British accent works for MI6 you know. I thought you got over that when you were 6.”

 

“One never gives up the belief that James Bond is real, Hotchner. I just stopped arguing with you when it became clear that you weren’t going to stop being a Doubting Thomas. Besides, someone that hot had to be a British spy at some point.”

 

Getting back to the questions, Tony considered them before answering. “I don’t know what else there is, but I think maybe there’s some kind of Empathic abilities. When you touched me tonight, I could literally feel your love and concern for me. I’d never felt it before though.”

 

“You’ve never felt love from Spencer?” Aaron asked surprised, and Tony sighed.

 

“He doesn’t ever touch me anymore. Sometimes it… sometimes I wonder if it’s his germ thing, or if he thinks that I’m dirty.”

 

“Stop,” Aaron ordered softly but firmly. “It is not your fault. You were a year older than he is now when I enlisted. You are not responsible for whatever is going on with him. I don’t like it any more than you do, but I am not going to allow you to play this guilt game anymore over it.”

 

“I miss him so fucking much, Aaron, but at the same time, I am so fucking mad that he just… even though he was in the same house he left me, too. I feel like our relationship is horribly permanently damaged. I don’t know how… I don’t see a path back to what we had, and it’s killing me inside. Even though right now I can’t stand the thought of even looking at him.”

 

“We’ll fix it. It may not ever be what it was, and maybe it shouldn’t be. As long as there is a want on your part, then there’s a hope. Now, what else can you do?”

 

Tony lay quietly before speaking. He was trying to get used to this idea that it wasn’t all his fault, and at least Aaron didn’t blame him. Spencer was a subject that he just simply couldn’t think about that night, but maybe… He’d always trusted Aaron to be right before. Maybe he could find a way to do so, again.

 

“I don’t know what all else I can do just yet. James doesn’t tell me everything. He says that I’m not ready. He says that once I’ve found everyone that I need to help me then he will. Something bad is coming though I know. I don’t know when or what it is, but it’s really not good. The visions cover just about everything. James and the future and Bobby’s wife getting possessed. I saw some demon bitch kill Pastor Jim, and I see a lot of this other guy. I think that we have to find him, Aaron. I think…”

 

“What do you think, Tony?” Aaron prompted when he stopped speaking.

 

“I think that he and I are connected in some way. Like… like whatever I am he is too only opposite. Like maybe some yin and yang thing. Like we need each other if we’re going to beat this whatever is coming.”

 

“Then we’ll find him. Someway or somehow, we’ll find him. You have my word.” Aaron promised earnestly. Tony wanted to believe him. He wanted to be able to trust his word again, but too much had happened. It made him incredibly sad that maybe possibly he’d lost his hero.

 

“I’m mad at you for leaving us here with him. Even before the fucking demons they were crap parents. I don’t understand how you could possibly think that it’d be better for us without you here. When so many times you were all we had. We needed you, and you left us. You left us and the real monsters came and let me tell you they were brutal and ruthless and everything you’d imagine a demon would be.

 

“I was so scared. I thought that you’d come back in a fucking box, and it would be my fault because I hadn’t done something, or obeyed some order. They said that they’d take Spencer, too, and I’d never see him again. So many things happened while you were away. I don’t think that I’ll ever be able to find all my pieces. I’m afraid that I’m just going to be this broken thing forever.”

  


“I don’t blame you for being mad, or for not trusting me anymore,” Aaron admitted. “I know you didn’t say it, but I could tell you were thinking it a bit ago. I wouldn’t trust me if I were you. We’ll find our way back though, T-bird, and we’ll get Spencer back somehow. We won’t stop trying until we do.”

 

“I want to do what they do,” Tony admitted hoping and needing Aaron to not just understand but be willing to help. “Bobby and Pastor Jim, I mean. I need to do what they do. I think… I think that I am supposed to do what they do.”

 

“Then that’s what we’ll do. We’ll hang out here for a year or two until Spencer graduates. Then we’ll give him a chance to come with us or go to college. He’s not had a walk in the park either even if he’s being a brat. He deserves the chance to determine his own path. We’ll make it, Tony. And we’ll save the whole world along the way if we have to.”

 

Someday Tony would look back on that moment, and wonder if Aaron was having visions of his own. In the moment though he just laid his head down and went to sleep, content knowing that his hero had returned home to keep him safe from the monsters not just under his bed.

 

The next morning, Tony was standing in the kitchen watching Pastor Jim fill a thermos with coffee. He didn’t know what to say to this man who had helped set him free, and believed when no one else had.

 

“Thank you doesn’t seem to be enough for what you’ve done for me.”

 

“It was my pleasure, my son.” The pastor assured him putting the top on the thermos. Tony followed him to the door, but put a hand on his arm to stop him before he could leave. When the older man turned to look at him questioningly, Tony barreled on with what had been on his mind all morning.

 

“There’s going to be a woman come to your church. You’ll be at the altar looking through your bible when a gust of wind will go through the church even though there are no open windows. She will be short and petite with short cut blonde hair. You’ll come out from the altar, and she’ll say that she needs to talk. She’ll admit that she’s done not so good things. You’ll try to assure her of forgiveness, and ask what is on her mind. She’ll admit to killing someone as her eyes turn black. I don’t know much beyond that except that you end up dead.

 

“Don’t worry though. Aaron and I are not going to let that happen.”

 

“You two are going to become hunters?”

 

Tony shrugged and bit his lip thinking the question over before answering. “Aaron and I at least, yeah. I think that I have to, and he’s promised that he’ll help me. I am trying to find a way to trust his word.”

 

“It’s a calling for some of us,” Jim agreed. “I have left my phone number and the church’s address in the kitchen. If you or your brothers need me, I am but a call away. I will be greatly upset if you disappear on me Anthony DiNozzo. You are special, and not because of those extras that your Angel gave you. Please know that you will always have sanctuary at my church in Blue Earth.”

 

Impulsively, Tony gave the man a hug. The peace and affection he felt for the man made it worth the contact. When he pulled away, the pastor placed a hand on his shoulder and then walked off toward the car where Bobby was waiting. He felt Aaron walk up behind him as he watched the two men drive away. It was a new beginning. He had a mission, even if he didn’t know exactly what it was, and he refused to fail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note - Exorcism and translation thanks to Supernatural Wiki: "We exorcise you, every impure spirit, every satanic power, every incursion of the infernal adversary, every legion, every congregation and diabolical sect. Therefore, diabolical legions, we adjure you ... Cease to deceive human creatures, and to give to them the poison of eternal damnation; ... Be gone, Satan, inventor and master of all deceit, enemy of man's salvation ... Be humble under the mighty hand of God; tremble and flee when we invoke the Holy and Terrible Name at which those down below tremble ... ... from the snares of the devil, deliver us, O Lord . V. That Thy Church may serve Thee in peace and liberty to serve, we ask Thee, hear us."


	5. The Time is Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Aaron have a talk about where the brothers are going to head next, while Spencer has a night on the town. Their old friend Pastor Jim has requested they check on a man who has recently lost his brother. Tony's thinks his destiny is within his sight and is eager to meet one Sam Winchester.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK I lied... I forgot this chapter existed. lol Sam comes in next week I swear. We have though done the ol' time jump and are in that spot between Supernatural seasons 3 & 4.
> 
> Because this was an alternate universe type challenge the three brothers personalities are tweaked from what you know. It's most evident in their sexuality. Thank you to those that are reading. I like this story, and I am glad to see there are a few that are following along.

Chapter Five: The Time is Now

 

_ “It's important for you to hear this... When I grew up, everyone was okay with being in a bubble. They were cool in their circle. That's fine. But no one should discourage someone if they have a dream, if they want something more [...] This song was difficult for me to write the lyrics to because it's about my mother and my father, and about the day I said goodbye to them, because I had to go try, and I'm still trying, every day, to become a man. So, this song is about that. It's about the moment that you wake up and you decide you want to go for every single dream you ever want. Brent Smith of Shinedown at Pointfest 22 about their song Second Chance” _

Tony was sitting in Aaron’s hummer with his seat pushed back as far as it would go.  His feet were propped up on the dash in front of him, while his guitar rested on his chest.  He was plucking away at Shinedown’s Second Chance and letting the memories of ten years ago flow through his mind.  It had been exactly ten years to the day since his parents were exorcised.  Right about now the exorcisms were just beginning. Tony was sitting on the couch trying to ignore Spencer who was throwing a fit that would make a three year old shake their head.

Fortunately, things had improved over the last decade.  They certainly weren’t right.  In a way, Tony had been right.  There was still that little bit of distrust that came between them on occasion.  Sometimes Aaron ended up playing referee too often.  Tony himself always felt bad when that happened, because he always knew it was hard on his older brother.  He just couldn’t fully get over it, and for some reason, Spencer just couldn’t fully get over whatever the fuck had been up his ass back then.

He hadn’t seen Bobby Singer once since the day they left, but he knew someday their paths would cross again.  The timing wasn’t quite right yet, but he had a feeling that it wasn’t far off.  Lately, he’d had this sense like he was on the cusp of something.  Shaking his head, he got back to the song and the memories. Now wasn’t the time for shaggy brown hair and dimples.

Pastor Jim though had become a constant to the three brothers.  True to their word, they’d been there when Meg showed up to kill him.  The look on her face when she realized that she was caught in a devil’s trap was amazing.  Watching the Pastor and Aaron send her back to hell was priceless. 

Aaron was back to being the dependable hero that Tony’d admired as a child.  They’d worked hard at their relationship.  They’d had a year and a half to get their shit together while Spencer finished high school graduating as valedictorian.  He’d had his choice of colleges, and had even tried out Cal-Sci for a year.  By the end of his freshman year though he was asking to come join them on the road.  Since it had been his choice all along, neither Tony or Aaron had even considered turning him down.

When the driver’s side door opened, Tony turned his head to sing at his older brother.  His grin matched Aaron’s when he started singing along with him.  He’d switched to Diamond Eyes, and knew it was one of Aaron’s favorites by the band.   Not hearing the back door open, craned his neck around to make sure he hadn’t missed it, and arched an eyebrow at his brother who was setting the bag of food between Tony’s legs. 

“Spencer found his evening entertainment.  He’ll meet us at the hotel in the morning.”  Aaron informed him answering the unspoken question, as he got settled and started the Hummer.

Tony rolled his eyes and kept singing.  The two of them had gotten pretty good at the whole communicating with only one of them speaking most of the time.  Switching to sing Buckcherry’s Crazy Bitch, he wiggled his eyebrows at Aaron who laughed out loud. 

“You’re close I think.  Although it’s a guy this time.  Not bad looking, but it’s pretty apparent that he’s more into sex than you and I.”

Tony shrugged still singing as he rested his head against the seat back.  Finding out that he wasn’t the only asexual in the family was a revelation that Tony in no way had expected.  Although Aaron was a biromantic as opposed to Tony himself being homoromantic.  Aaron loved to flirt and had no qualms about the gender.  He just had no intentions of taking it beyond that mostly.  Tony didn’t like talking enough to flirt mostly.  Although on occasion a man would catch his interest, and he’d spend long hours in a dark corner of a bar talking just about anything. 

Usually, they were tall with long brown hair and a smile that made his insides melt.  He always knew somehow this one wasn’t The One, but it was nice to forget for a little bit and enjoy the company of someone he wasn’t genetically related to. 

Spencer, on the other hand, shared the Bi part with Aaron, but that was about it.  Their little brother wasn’t too awfully choosy as long as they were in his words ‘hot enough to melt the sun then parts are just parts’.  Sometimes it seemed like the kid was trying to make up for both he and Aaron’s lack of sex lives.  To each their own though.  It always worked out.  As long as he was happy, neither Tony nor Aaron was going to complain.

When they reached the motel they were staying in for the night, Tony reached back for the guitar case, and packed his baby away.  Then he got out and helped Aaron with bags to haul into the room.  He and Aaron always shared, and Spencer always got his own room.  That way he had somewhere to bring his nightly entertainment, and they were close enough to help if needed. Once things were settled, Tony sat at the table to share dinner with his brother.

“I got a call from Jim while you were in the bar. He wanted to say Happy Anniversary, and had a request.”  Tony advised between bites.

“Damn, is it that time of the year already?  I still say for a holy man he has a twisted sense of humor.  It’s no wonder you two get along so well. Where does the time go?  He have a job for us?”  Tony nodded to the last of Aaron’s questions but delayed speaking as he had a mouthful of burger.

“Yes, it’s the anniversary of the exorcism.  It’s not my fault you can’t appreciate a good sick sense of humor, or that a Pastor is more advanced than you.  To answer the last question, yes he has a job.  I… well…”

Tony trailed off and turned back to his food.  Aaron didn’t bother trying to push for more information.  After 10 years he’d learned that Tony would continue when he was ready.  Sometimes it took longer than others, that’s all, especially when it had anything to do with Tony’s specialness.

“Jim said that a friend of his had lost his brother.  He was being weird, but when I pushed for more information he caved. I…. I think this is it, Aaron. A lot of what he said is matching up.”

When Aaron just lifted an eyebrow and didn’t pause eating, Tony continued.  “You remember Bobby mentioning the Winchesters back then when he was yelling at Q?” Tony had taken to calling Spencer Q after the Quartermaster in the James Bond series because he was so smart, and had a knack for coming up with gadgets to help them hunt.

Aaron nodded that he remembered instead of answering with a mouth full of chicken wings, and Tony continued.  “Well, what I got from PJ was that the younger brother Sam was killed at some point. The older brother Dean couldn’t take it and sold his soul to bring him back to life.  Apparently, they’d only give him a year instead of the normal 10-year deal, and Dean’s time ran up about a month ago.  I guess Bobby called and admitted that he was worried ‘cause Sam wouldn’t take his calls.  So, Jim called Sam with a job and said that he was sending help because it’d be more than one person could do. He said that he just wants us to check on him, but Jim all but said that he thinks Sam is the guy from my visions.”

“Seriously, you never fail to amaze me. I never imagined a Pastor would be nicknamed after a child’s favorite lunch sandwich. Jesus, T-bird, a month ago? That is almost exactly when you had the dream of….”  Aaron started but trailed off. Speaking of hell and demons were neither of their favorite subjects.

For his part, Tony just nodded pushing away his plate.  “The guy with the freckles on some weird rack and screaming his head off.  I think that was like two days after it happened.  I think the dreams are almost real time now.  Last night I had a dream of Him in an old rundown house, and a demon in a woman’s body following him around.  She’s bad news, Aaron.  She’s the same woman I’ve seen with him when they raised Lucifer.”

“That’s one of the ones you think you can change right?  She the one you saw him drinking her blood?”  Aaron asked confirming, and Tony nodded confirming both questions.  He’d gotten much better with the visions in the last 10 years.  They’d learned that some like the Jim dying vision could be stopped.  Some like a vision he’d had of a teenager drowning on a case they worked couldn’t.  They’d done everything they could, but the girl had still died.  Azrael pulled him to the pub that night and explained that not all of the visions were stoppable.  Some were just a warning of things to come so they could be prepared.

“We need to leave now?” Aaron asked, but Tony quickly shook his head.

“Funny enough we’re only about 2 hours away.  We can leave in the morning. No sense in interrupting Q’s night on the town.”

Aaron laughed, and Tony pulled his plate back to finish his dinner.  He wasn’t sure he’d sleep that night, and hoped that Sam Winchester really was the boy he’d been dreaming of for a decade.

 


	6. Your Yin to my Yang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony finally meets Sam Winchester, and takes care of a little demon issue that's been messing with the youngest Winchester's head. Afterward, Sam has to decide if he's going to believe the crazy things Tony's telling him. To help him decide, Tony takes Sam to an angelic friend to see if he can answer some questions.

##  Chapter Six: Your Yin to my Yang

 

The three brothers were in the Hummer approaching their destination.  Spencer was laid across the backseat dozing.  They’d filled him in on the case as well as Tony’s suspicions about whop they were meeting.  They’d agreed that if the demon bitch was with him then they would get rid of the abomination as soon as possible. 

Aaron and Spencer would be responsible for that.  Tony would be responsible for Sam Winchester, which would go much smoother if he was really the other half of what Tony was.  According to James, aka his angel, there would be some things that would change with his abilities when he found the boy he’d been dreaming about.

For one there would be an almost visceral need to bond that they wouldn’t be able to resist.  Like a magnet and a piece of iron they would be drawn to each other overriding all other people or beings in their lives including family.  The only caveat to that would be that Sam could not be corrupted by any more demon blood than he already was.  A single drop when he was a baby would not interfere enough to prevent the bond.  It also would be burned from Sam’s system by Tony’s angelic yang essence during the bonding, severing that tie forever.  Had Azazel still been alive, he would have lost all ability to influence the youngest Winchester.

Once they were bonded, providing that Sam Winchester was really his mate, Tony would be able to share with him his visions.  Including any older visions, which Tony had mastered pulling back up as needed.  That meant that he could show Sam the demon bitch’s end game.  He was a little afraid of thaw this newest betrayal would do when the man was still reeling from the loss of his brother.  Unfortunately, they didn’t have the luxury of putting this off, and there was no way that he could leave that thing alive.  Tony could only hope that Sam was really the yin to his yang.  He also hoped that their bonding would sooth Sam’s raw and broken bits.  He didn’t even want to consider what would happen to the younger man if he wasn’t Tony’s mate. 

They were nearing their destination on the very outskirts of the small rural town they were to be meeting Sam at, when Tony knew that they’d found him.  His brain felt like it’d been put through a blender, and his stomach felt like it’d been hit with a sledgehammer.  Both out of nowhere, and with no warning. 

“Aaron! Stop! Now!”

His brother slammed on the brakes throwing him against his seat belt hard enough that Tony was sure that it would bruise.  He heard the thump and felt his seat jar, as Spencer was thrown off the backseat and half onto the floor.

“What the fuck?”  Came in a sleepy slur from the back.  Turning his head, Tony saw Spencer poking his head between the front seats. His hair its usual rats nest after sleeping.

“We found him,” Tony breathed.  He was suddenly more sure of those words than he had been of anything since his life went off script 6 months prior to his parents’ possessions.  At last he understood what James had been trying to explain to him about the bond for months.  He almost expected himself to be pulled out of the car the calling for Sam was so strong, and he wasn’t even near the man yet.

“Tony, what are you…” Aaron started, but was cut off when Tony interrupted him.

“Is there a driveway?  Did we pass one, or is there one ahead of us?”

“Tony what…” Again, Aaron was cut off, this time by Spencer.

“Up ahead.  Twenty feet on Aaron’s side is a break in the trees big enough to be a drive.”

Tony took a deep breath, and nodded trying to focus his mind on something other than the fact that his mate hopefully Sam Winchester was almost within reach.

“We need to go in assuming that the demon bitch is with him.  Aaron, he’s had military style training from his father.  So, you make the call.  Do you think they’ll stick together or split up?  Because one thing we do know for sure is that she’s going to know I’m coming.”

One thing that they had learned when they began hunting was that Tony was like a signal beacon to demons.  They assumed that it was because of his connection to his angel specifically, and all angels in general.  For this reason, they had to leave Tony behind when they were hunting demons unless there was a strategic reason for him to come such as for distraction.

“IF it were me, I’d come out the front and send my secret weapon the demon bitch out back as an ambush.”  Aaron grew quiet for a moment as he ran strategies through his mind.  Tony and Spencer had learned to leave him alone while he did this.  So, they discussed what equipment they might need while they waited.

“OK, here’s how it’s going to go.  Spencer and I are gona go ahead and set up his Devils Trap Projectiors in the back yard.  Tony give us like 15 minutes then make your way up the driveway.  Don’t rush, but don’t dawdle either.  We want them moving quick enough that they don’t have time to consider a trap. But not so fast that Sam can’t make a decision.”

“What if she isn’t there?”  Spencer asked, but Tony was shaking his head before the question was fully asked.

“She will be,” Tony said with confidence.  Unfortunately, Spencer decided that he needed to keep pushing for an answer.

“That isn’t an answer! How do you know?”

 

“Spencer, this isn’t the time.  You know that.”  Aaron chided.

Tony turned and glared at his little brother.  “If you walk up that drive and see a house that looks like it belongs in Psycho then you know that she’s in there.  I’ve dreamed about this moment a million times, Q.  She’s in there.  My mate is in there.  I can feel him.  Are you ever going to believe me, or is this always going to be a thing between us?”

Tony saw Spencer wince, and wasn’t surprised when Aaron snapped at them.

“That’s enough both of you!  This is neither the time nor the place.  Spencer you know better than to play 20 questions in the field.  This isn’t the time.  Tony, you know he’s just being curious.  Opening wounds right now isn’t going to help.  I’m going to the back to get the equipment we need.  You two have five minutes to fix this.”

When Aaron climbed out of the vehicle.  Tony stared at the empty seat as he tried to pull himself together enough to not lash out again.

“Sorry,” Spencer said quietly, and Tony nodded trying to focus on the sentiment.

“Me, too,” Tony finally replied turning his gaze to look down at his hands.

“Do you really think that I don’t trust you?”  Spencer asked sounding confused.

“Sometimes,” Tony replied the lifted his eyes to look back at his brother.  “Sometimes I know that you don’t trust me.  My Empathic abilities may not give me the negative emotions, but I know when the good ones go away.  The second we started talking about the demon bitch you stopped trusting me.  I felt it go away.  I don’t know why you don’t trust me when it comes to demons, but I know that you don’t.  Honestly I wonder if you even know yourself.”

Huffing, Tony turned to look out the front window.  “Right now it doesn’t matter, because in the house up there at the end of that drive hidden by the trees is a man with brown shaggy hair and dimples when he smiles.  I’ve been waiting for him so that I could be whole since you were 15.  I’m not letting some demon bitch take him from me.”

Hearing a knock on Spencer’s window, Tony looked in the side mirror and saw Aaron there with two backpacks in his left hand, and his favorite shotgun slung over his shoulder.  He watched Spencer open the door, and Aaron stepped aside.

“Are things ok?”  Aaron asked, and he heard Spencer answer yes. 

“Tony?” 

Tony nodded, and pulled himself as together as he could.  “They’re fine, Aaron.”

He saw his brother hesitate then nod.  Fortunately, he knew when to let some things go.  He leaned his seat back, and watched the two head off to set up the trap for the bitch.  He had 15 minutes until he met his future.

Fifteen minutes later when it was time, he set off toward the house trying to stick to his normal pace.  It was hard to do, but he wanted nothing more than to run up the drive and claim his mate.  He had no weapons or equipment with him.  If someone came out shooting he’d be one dead DiNozzo, but he didn’t want to take the chance of being misunderstood.  The worst threat was the demon bitch, and guns wouldn’t affect her.  Then there was the whole issue where he couldn’t affect the demon, and the demon couldn’t affect him.

As he headed up the driveway, he tried to imagine how Winchester would react to all of this.  While he’d had this vision multiple times, there had never been just one outcome.  The outcome seemed to change quite often, although there were a few that repeated.  None ended in blood being spilled, so he felt that was good at least.  He just hoped that Winchester was really the boy, that he was reading himself right, because he didn’t want to end up dead.

As he broke through the trees and into the clearing that the house was built on, he could tell that he was right before Sam Winchester even came out the door.  The house itself was on he’d seen many times in his dream visions.  Rundown and looking like something from a classic black and white horror movie. 

When the door opened, he wasn’t really surprised to see the shotgun.  This had been the most popular beginning to the vision.  “Stop right there!” Sam shouted, and Tony did as he asked lifting his hands in the air.

“Hello, Sam,” Tony called feeling the pull of Sam’s magnet to his iron.  He knew that the younger man was probably freaked out.  He obviously didn’t know what had been going on inside the house, but he had an idea from Sam’s half-dressed state.  His shirt was missing, and his jeans while on had the top button undone.  While Tony himself felt no sexual attraction, he could admit that his mate was damned sexy.  He guess the younger man would be taller than him.  The brown shaggy hair he’d seen in dreams for years was present, and Tony couldn’t wait to see those dimples when he finally saw the man’s smile.

Azrael made him aware that his mate wouldn’t be as prepared as Tony was himself.  Because Sam was the dark side of the yin and yang thing they had going on, he wouldn’t be open to his own angel guide until he mated with Tony.  The angel had tried to assist Sam with visions of his own, but when his mate had been killed that had been wiped out.  It seemed that the young man learned how to block such things while he was dead believing incorrectly that they were the product of the demon blood in his body, and his angel had not been able to re-establish any kind of connection.  They believed though that once Tony and his mate were bonded that things would change on that front.

“I don’t know what you are, but I will blow a hole in you!”  Sam hollered back.

“I’m a human, Sam.  Just like you more or less.  My name is Tony DiNozzo.  My brothers and I have come to help you with your case once you and I take care of some personal things.”

He saw the shotgun waver, and knew he ws getting somewhere.  Unfortunately, the demon bitch screamed at that moment cluing Sam in on the activity in the back yard.

“Ruby!”  Sam shouted turning to point the shotgun at Tony again.

“Who’s back there?  What are they doing to her? Make them stop!”

“I can’t do that,” Tony called back half expecting a blast from that shotgun any second.  “She’s not what you think.  I know it feels like she’s you’re only chance now at getting your brother back, that she’s the only thing you have left.  But that isn’t true, and if she wasn’t messing with your head you’d know it!”

The blast thankfully landed at his feet spraying gravel everywhere.  “SHUT UP!”

“I can’t do that either, Sam,” Tony called back trying to ignore the pain of where some of the bits of gravel had hit him.  “Please, Sam, I’ve seen it.  I’ve seen what’s happened, and I’ve seen what’s to come.  You and I are connected.  I know you can feel it, but don’t understand it.  I know you’re lost and hurt without your brother.  I’ve watched my own big brother leave.  Granted mine didn’t go to hell I will give you that.”

A scream was heard from the back yard again, and Sam took off running.  Tony knew that he wouldn’t be able to stop him this time, and took off after him.  There was a part of him that was screaming for him to do something, but he couldn’t translate it fast enough to pay attention.

Chasing Sam through the house, he reached the yard just moments after the younger man.  Fortunately he seemed to be at least momentarily dazed by the site before him, which had given Tony time to catch up to the man.  Not sure what else to do at that moment, Tony used what little he had left of his high school football skills, and tackled the man happy to see the shotgun go flying out of their reach. 

For several moments the two wrestled on the ground, and eventually Tony ended up pinned on the bottom with his legs wrapped around Sam’s waist so he couldn’t get away.  If he was into sex the erections they were both sporting might be a turn on.  As it was his at least was just something that he ignored as an annoyance.

“Sam, she’s trying to manipulate you into killing someone to let Lucifer out of his cage.  I’ve seen it. You and I are connected. I know that you can feel it.  She’s not good for you, Sam.  Please.”

Looking up he could see Sam staring toward the Devil’s trap where the demon bitch apparently named Ruby was trapped by the little projector balls that Spencer created.  He called them Devil’s Trap Projectors because they displayed an image of The Heptagram Devils Trap onto the ground before them.  It would work with three projectors, but worked best if you had one for each of the seven points of the star. 

Following Sam’s gaze, he could see that Aaron was almost done with the exorcism.  Spencer was the best with Latin, but he didn’t like performing the ritual.  So, it was normally Aaron who did it.

While he couldn’t feel the pain inside of his mate, Tony knew that it had to be there.  The man had lost his mother and father from what PJ had told him.  He’d recently lost his brother to hell because of a deal made to bring Sam back to life.  Now the one ally he thought that he had turned out to be a snake in the grass.  This Ruby had well and truly gotten under the younger Winchester’s skin, and made him believe that he could trust her.

“Sam, you aren’t alone.  This thing you’re feeling, the tug you’re feeling is me. It’s a pull to me because we’re connected like… like yin and yang.  Sam, you don’t need her.  She’s bad for you.  What has she really done for you other than make you feel not alone for a few moments?  You and I have both been broken, Sam.  My brothers and I understand or at least have an idea of the pain you’re in right at this moment. Please, let us in.  Let us help.”

He could tell his words were for naught, because he didn’t have much of the man’s attention, which was focused on the exorcism.  The second that Ruby lost though, and her demon was released from her body, whatever hold the thing had over Sam was cut, and the man’s attention was pulled back to Tony.

Tony was chalking it up to the bond, because one moment he was watching Sam see the demon he’d been playing house with exorcised, and the next the man was trying to kiss the life out of him. While Tony didn’t get sexually aroused from kissing, he still liked them quite a bit. Sam Winchester seemed to be a master at them.

Completely lost in the kiss, Tony was beginning to wonder about a loss of oxygen when he felt something prodding his arm.  Breaking the kiss, he turned his head and looked up to see Aaron smirking down at them. 

“I take it that you were right?”

Tony groaned as Sam tensed and jumped up probably to tear to bits the man who had exorcised Ruby.  Quickly, Tony scrambled up, and caught one of Sam’s arms between both of his own, trying to keep the man from punching his older brother.  “Sam, easy.”

Tony’s breathing and heart were racing as he looked from Sam to Aaron.  It was so hard to know what was right versus what he really wanted to do in that moment.  Carefully he let one of his hands fall, and took Sam’s hand in his.  When the fingers slowly twined with his, he felt a small victory.  Moving slightly he slipped his body between Sam and his brothers, with Spencer having come up shortly after Aaron. Tony’s back was to his siblings, and his free arm lifted to touch Sam’s cheek trying to prod the man into looking at him.

“Please, Sam,” he breathed quietly.  The sound soft enough that he wasn’t sure Aaron and Spencer would be able to hear. It was more breath than words, and probably closer to a half prayer half plea than anything else.

When he drew the man’s gaze, Tony just wanted to wrap himself around the younger, but taller man.  His heart ached knowing everything that he’d lost, and he struggled to understand what he was supposed to do next that would make it better. 

“I know you’re mad and upset.  I know that she’d convinced you that she was your friend.  There are things you don’t know though.  Things that I can show you once we…”

Tony trailed off unsure of what to say to explain what was between them without sounding like some psycho stalker.  He wished his angel was there, or that he was at the pub.  Maybe… If he could just get Sam to trust him enough to lay down with him.  If he could just get him to believe enough of the story, maybe he could find a way to send himself to his angel. They hadn’t gone over that but maybe…

“I told you that my name was Tony DiNozzo. These are my brothers. The tall older one is my half-brother Aaron Hotchner.  The younger is my brother Spencer.  He and I share both mother and father, and the two of us share a mother with Aaron.  Our mother and both fathers are dead.  Aaron’s father died when he was ten.  Senior, who is Spencer and I’s father, and our mother died when I was around 19 and Spencer was 12. They… sacrificed themselves over to be vessels to demons.”

Tony could read the shock on Sam’s face and saw as he eyed his brothers before returning his attention to him.  “How long did it… When were they…”

“I was 22 and Spencer was 15 when Pastor Jim and Bobby Singer came to help me.”

“Three years?” Sam asked quietly. “How…”  He stopped speaking, and his gaze grew intense. Tony guessed that the possibilities forming in the man’s mind were daunting.

“The thing is, Sam, I started having visions of you about 4 months before my parents agreed to the possession.  There is something going on between us.  Something that is bigger than just a simple possession or two.  You and I… Sam we’re connected, like cosmically connected. We’re special.  I know is that you and I share a connection that goes beyond even what we know as hunters.  It’s big and it’s predestined and it’s meant to be some kind of cosmic balance I think against something that’s coming.”

Tony lowered his head and rested against Sam’s shoulder a moment before straightening and going on. “I know that the demon my brothers just exorcised, the one you called Ruby, was here to manipulate you into doing something really bad, Sam.  As much as I’d like to believe otherwise, I don’t think that sending her back to hell is going to stop the whole thing.  I don’t know all the details yet, but I know where we can get them. In order to get there though, you have to be willing to trust me, trust yourself.  Can you do that, Sam?  Can you consider bonding yourself to someone you don’t know if it means we save all of humanity?

When Sam let go of him, and walked off into the woods beyond the house, Tony let him leave.  He could only hope the younger man would come back.

Several hours later, Tony was sprawled out on the only actual bed in the house, which he’d found in an upstairs bedroom. Aaron helped him strip off the old bedding, then they’d covered it when his sleeping bag, and some sheets and blankets that they kept in the Hummer.  Aaron and Spencer were sleeping in a room down the hall on cots using their sleeping bags, and the rest of the blankets.  Tony could feel Sam was nearby and assumed that he was still out in the forest.  He was trying not to think about it, but didn’t have much else to focus his thoughts on.  He’d tried to figure out how he could force himself and Sam to the Pub, and had for a while spent time studying that space in his mind where he kept his Angel.

He wondered if he just grabbed ahold of the glowing sphere he thought of as his angels grace and just kinda…. Wished hard enough if maybe…

“Uhh, I hope you don’t mind, but your brother umm… Spencer I think that it is, said I could find you up here, and you wouldn’t mind if I intruded.”

Sitting up quickly, Tony shook his head and waved an arm at the bed.  “No, Sam, please.  That’s…. That’s why I get the bed so we can… I mean…” Tony huffed and tried to calm himself down enough to speak coherently.

 

“They gave us this room so we could have some privacy. I was hoping we could at least talk when you got back. I know you must have a shit ton of questions.”

Sam nodded and inched over to perch on the bottom left corner of the bed.  “The thing is I’ve always… Sometimes it seems like I’m the only one in my family who believed in God and angels and that there was anything good to counter all the evil and negative that my family hunts. 

“My father thought it was foolish, and my brother just straight up doesn’t… didn’t believe.  Dean always liked going to Bobby’s better, and don’t get me wrong I loved Bobby’s with all the books and things to learn. Dean though he hated going to Pastor Jim’s. He got bored and hated listening to him talk. I was always fascinated by it though, and I think took his stories and preaching to heart.  Now my father is dead and God only knows where.  My brother is in hell because he sold his soul to bring me back to life, and I’m here in the bedroom of some old house with a man who says he’s my cosmic… boyfriend finding out that angels are real.”

“Wait you…” Tony stopped and cocked his head to one side studying Sam.  “You don’t know angels are real? Like… you’ve never met one? Some dude with brown hair and a trench coat?”

When Sam shook his head no, Tony tilted his head to one side watching the visions move themselves around in the filing cabinet that he kept them in.  He’d found that as he learned things on his own, they would rearrange themselves accordingly.  Previously he’d assumed that the angel he’d seen wearing the trench coat was someone who had inserted himself into their lives like Azrael had with him.  Knowing the truth though, it made much more sense.

“Oh, Sam,” Tony breathed and smiled with genuine joy.  “Then you haven’t seen the last of your brother here on earth. I don’t understand it all yet because the visions are still correcting themselves but… He will return. Your brother is going to come back to you.”

The words hadn’t been out of his mouth for more than 2 seconds before Tony found himself with a lapful of Winchester as he received maybe the hug of his life.  “You’re sure?”  Sam asked not letting up his hug, and Tony nodded smiling pressing his lips into the man’s shoulder.

“If you don’t know the brown haired man in the trench coat, then yes. I am sure.  He’s an angel, and he has a connection to your brother.  We have a lot to discuss Sam, but I think this conversation would be better had in the Pub where maybe you and I both can get some real answers.”

“The Pub?” Sam repeated straightening, and Tony nodded. 

“It’s where I meet my angel at.  I think that I can get us there, if you want I mean.”

He saw the younger man take a deep breath, and nod.  “Let’s do it.  Answers would be good.  How do we get to this place?”

Tony waived a hand at the empty side of the bed.  “Get comfortable.  I think we have to be touching.  Then we’ll close our eyes, and if this works the way I want, when we open our eyes again we should be there.  Just stick with me, Sam, and we’ll find out way.”

Each taking a deep breath, the two men lay close together with their arms around each other’s waists, and closed their eyes.  Tony opened his eyes and saw that they were standing in the room where he kept his angel. 

“What’s that?”  He heard, and looking to his right saw Sam standing next to him looking at the glowing orb. 

“It’s the bit of grace that I go from my angel.  I think… If we hold hands and touch it at the same time, I think maybe I can get us to The Pub without him calling me.”

“If it doesn’t?”  Sam asked frowning down at him, and Tony bit his lip as he realized how ridiculously happy having a taller mate made him for some reason.

“Then we don’t go anywhere and have a nice night’s sleep together on the bed?”

Tony watched as Sam seemed to be thinking it over, but eventually took his hand.  “Here goes,” Tony threw out, before the both reached out with their free hands and touched the orb.  Immediately he felt a jolt and his breath leave his body.  When it settled he opened his eyes and let out a whoop.

“It worked!”  Tony laughed and grinned at Sam who was looking around somewhat wide eyed.  When the other man’s gaze came back to him, there was a wonderfully happy grin on his face with dimples firmly in place.

“My brown haired boy with dimples when he smiles,” Tony offered feeling the warmth of pleasure settle in his chest.  When Sam blushed, Tony let another laugh loose, and pulled Sam’s hand to his mouth kissing his knuckles.

“Here’s to us, Sam.  No one can stop us now.”

“Are we in an English Pub?” 

Turning his head, Tony grinned at Sam.  “Welcome to the home of my angel. I don’t know his name, but I have nicknamed him James Bond.”

Sam grinned at him, and Tony smiled back not feeling even a little embarrassed. “Does he look like one of the James Bond actors or do you just have a thing?”

“I have a thing, and he has an English accent.  He totally could be a OO though.  Maybe not bond, but one of the other guys.”  Tony laughed as Sam stood and started looking around the room they were in.

Tony always landed in the same spot each time he visited.  It was in the corner of a long padded bench seat in the main room.  The leather was a deep red in color and had several tables in front of it that would only fit two people total.  The seats on the other side of the tables were also padded in the red leather, and above his head hung a chandelier. The walls were painted a hunter green, and covered in all kinds of pictures spanning throughout history or shelves of little knick knacks.  He often wondered if these were actual historical treasures, but never remembered to ask. 

He remembered the first time he was brought to The Pub, because the main bar gave him a quick idea of what kind of angel he had.  The wood itself was a dark colored wood so shiny that you could almost see your reflection on it.  On the front of the bar there was a brass rail with brass roosters every few feet with what looked like angel wings flared out. There were three polls with white globes spaced across the bar, and on each globe there was a word.  When read together the three said Angel’s Best Cock. 

He could hear Sam’s snort of amusement, and knew that the man had seen the globes.  Standing and moving out from behind his table, Tony navigated his way through the room to find Sam right where he expected.  The glass of beer in front of him told him that he’d realized the taps worked.  Tony made sure to get a glass of his own before moving back to the front where he took Sam’s hand and led him through the rest of the place.  He figured that the angel would be in the private bar room, and was right. 

He just hadn’t expected the man to have company.

He also hadn’t expected to see the company with his pants around his ankles as James fucked him for all he was worth.

“Umm, is this part of the usual routine?”  Sam asked in his ear, and Tony wordlessly shook his head.  He could tell from the husky sound of Sam’s voice that he was as effected as Tony was.  After all, he may not feel the need to have sex himself, but he could admit the hotness of watching two gorgeous angels go at it. 

Tony wasn’t sure when James figured out that they weren’t alone.  For all he knew the man knew the second they appeared in the main room, and he wouldn’t put it past the angel to make them wait as he finished his… conquest. 

This room, while having the same general  look of the other rooms, had a more formal setting.  The chairs had the same red leather, but the wood was a little darker, and the bar in back was smaller.  There was a fireplace that was always lit, and most of the floor was covered by a large red area rub that looked to be quite old to Tony’s inexperienced eyes.  He knew that the bar held mostly hard liquor with the exception of a few bottles of beer that he always kept in a cooler for Tony.

Once the angels were done, Tony let himself study the stranger, or strange angel in this case.  While he could never see the actual wings.  He could always see their shadow, and he could see a sort of halo that surrounded apparently all angels when he looked at him.  Of course he supposed that it could be just these two.  Maybe he’d ask James after the angel got done trying to glare holes in his head.

“You’re here. How the bloody hell are you here?”

Tony glanced at Sam who shrugged being even more clueless than Tony.  Turning his attention back to James, Tony decided to just tell the truth.  “We held hands and each touched the glowing orb thing that is in your room in my head.”

“Glowing orb… What?”

Tony frowned and cocked his head to one side.  “You know… the little bit of your grace that you gave me. I have it locked up tight in a room labeled James Bond in my head. It’s where I store all of the things that you gave me.”

 

When the strange angel’s eyes got big and he held up his hands, Tony found himself confused.  “I will never doubt you again, Az.  You’re right.  The damage is repairing itself.  We just might have a chance after all.”

“Well bloody hell of course I’m right you fuckin’ numpty.”  When James stopped glaring at the other angel and turned his attention back to himself and Sam, Tony hoped that he’d finally get some answers.

“Well, I can see the time has come for some answers.  I see that you have found Samuel.  I should have known you’d be ahead of schedule, Anthony.  Well come on then, come sit in front of the fire, and we’ll fill you in on the situation.  If you can steal part of my damned grace and you’ve located your Yin, then you’re obviously ready for the truth get settled lads, because this might take a bit.”

Looking to Sam, Tony smiled when the man just shrugged this time to signal his agreement.  Pulling him toward a comfortable looking couch, the two settled in, watching as the two angels got comfortable in the chairs across from them.  Finally they were getting somewhere.  The truth about what was going on would finally be revealed.


	7. Love your Light, Need your Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Sam get the story of what's going on from their Angels. Tony finds out the true name of the guardian who has been at times his only friend since his abilities began, and learns that he is more than he could ever dream of being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The information in this chapter is mostly made up. I did do some research to get an idea of how it works in real life and then twisted it to suit my own purposes. So, I am not aiming to mirror any real life religion. I am considering this made up.

##  Chapter Seven: Love your Light, Need your Dark

  
  


Once James was settled into his chair with a vodka for himself and a scotch for the stranger, Tony saw his angel was studying them.  Usually he would be impatient and pestering with questions, but this time felt different.  Because of that he was willing to be patient. 

“What have you told Samuel about what is going on, Anthony?”  James asked, and Tony shrugged before answering.

“Not much.  Mostly stuff about myself, a little bit about how he and I are connected, and that you’re an angel.  I knew he’d have questions I couldn’t answer. So, I thought maybe if I could get us here you’d finally open up more about what’s going on.”

“Well now then, let’s just start at the beginning shall I?  I am Azrael the Archangel of Death and Retribution, and I chose to be your guardian and guide, Anthony.  This is Samael the Archangel of Death and Fetching Souls.  He chose to be Samuel’s guardian and guide.  We are of course angels of God. Only Father has taken a walkabout, and not come back for some time.  Because of this, some of our brethren have decided that He is not ever coming back, and well you know the old saying about what happens when the cat’s away.”

James, or now Azrael it seemed, paused to take a drink of his vodka, and when Samael started to speak, Tony turned his attention to him.  “It wasn’t just the lower caste of angels that became restless, but some of our brother archangels that decided things needed to change.  Michael in particular became restless itching for the fight with Lucifer that he’s never been allowed to have.  He decided that he wanted to change that, only in order to do so, several things had to change including some rules that were never meant to be broken.  Are either of you familiar with Yin and Yang?”

Tony didn’t know much about them other than they were opposites, and was a little surprised when Sam piped up.  “Yin and Yang are part of Chinese Mythology, which says they were born from the chaos of the universe being created.  They believe that they live in balance at the center of the universe.  Their balance allowed for the creation of the first human.  Yin is the female part of the pairing and represents darkness, cold, and the moon, among just a few things.  She reaches the height of her influence with the Winter Solstice, and is often represented by a tiger.

“Yang is the male half and represents light, fire, heaven and several other things.  He reaches the height of his influence with the Summer Solstice, and is usually represented by a dragon.  The basic theory is that without balance the universe can’t exist.” (*Info influenced by and paraphrased from http://www.ancient.eu/Yin_and_Yang/)

Azrael nodded, and picked the story back up.  “That is a simplification of them, but yes that is the gist of it.  The thing is that well… Yin and Yang weren’t the first representation of what they are nor were they the last.  They’re simply the most well-known. 

“The thing that my brothers don’t want to admit is that there are other spiritual figures and beings in this world.  While it’s true that Father created earth and the heavens as per Christianity, that does not make other religious beliefs as to the creation wrong.  The truth is much more complex.  The larger point though is that neither Father nor any of the other major spiritual leaders, if you will, are actually the so called higher power.  The ol’ saying that everyone answers to someone is true even in this case.”

Tony shook his head to try and clear his rattled brain cells, and looked over to see Sam watching the angels fascinated.  He couldn’t help but grin at the sight, and had a feeling that his other half was getting much more out of this than he was.  Despite PJ’s best efforts, Tony would never be an overly religious person, and was therefore struggling a little bit to follow along with all of this. He had a feeling that Sam was having a much easier time of it. When Samael took over for Azrael, Tony turned his attention back to the angels.

“The part about Yin and Yang being born from the chaos of the creation of the universe is close enough to the truth to be called accurate.  The difference being that They weren’t known as Yin and Yang then, but rather simply Light and Dark.  When the Universe was created, Grandfather we’ll call him decided to give multiple beings a chance at the Earth.  In order to make sure that no one of his Chosen took over, he decided to assign a pair of… overseers basically.  They are responsible for the general balance and harmony of the planet, and to put it in human terms outrank every other spiritual leader. 

“In the beginning, the pair did stay hidden, but as humans began to flourish They decided to come out of Their little shell, and walk among the populace.  Every hundred years They would be reborn. Sometimes They would assign Themselves to a particular religion if one was a major influence at the time.  Sometimes They would be a general influence without any specific religious connection.  The one weakness to all of this, is that They are particularly vulnerable during Their rebirth and early years.  Something that our brothers figured out.”

Azrael snorted darkly, and took up the story again.  “When Michael realized that Father might not be coming back, he realized that all he had to do was get rid of the current version of Light and Dark during their rebirth.  Then he and the other angels could see to Lucifer’s release from hell with the help of the demons, who have their own reasons for wanting this fight to finally happen.  Given that a fight between Michael and Lucifer would almost completely destroy the planet, they have always been handcuffed figuratively by Light and Dark.

“So, the angels set their plain in motion, and struck as the new pair were close to being reborn.  The problem is that they forgot that They can’t kill the pair, even at Their weakest state.  So, all they accomplished is scrambling Their memories and abilities for a while.  However, Michael decided that this might be ok, because he realized that if he could just get Lucifer out of his prison before Light and Dark got Their shit together then he’s assuming They won’t be able to stop him.  The bloody idiot that he is.”

Samael snorted and took Azrael’s hand.  “When Az and I found out that all this was going on, we realized that we had to do something to try and stop them.  While I am not happy with Father abandoning us, we both know that He has always had a very clear reverence for Light and Dark, and believed that They were to be treasured and protected.  I mean essentially They are His...  Well I don’t know what you’d call Them in the human sense.  They are lovers, so family isn’t it, but… hopefully you get my gist.  They are like family to Him in the very least.  We both believe that Father will eventually come back to us.  There was no way that we could stand by and let Michael and Lucifer tear the world apart, or let them do serious damage to His… whatever They are to Him.  Unfortunately, we got there too late to prevent the damage all together, but we were able to save Them from any truly serious harm that They would have a longer recovery time from.  Azrael took Light aka Yang, and I took Dark aka Yin and we hid them in random human baby souls.  We then sat back and waited and watched until we could find them again.”

Tony frowned shaking his head.  “So what you are saying that…”

“Samuel is Yin or Dark, and Anthony, you are Yang or Light.  You are the only ones that can save the earth and put Michael and the rest of my heathen brethren in their place without much more severe consequences for both of your families.”

Tony had so many questions, but apparently Sam had one that he felt was most important. Upon hearing it, Tony had to admit it was a good question.

“What’s to keep them from just trying this again the next time We are reborn then?”

Azrael smiled coldly looking down at his empty vodka tumbler.  “By attempting to kill Yin and Yang they have violated the agreement.  The rebirth period was something that Father worked out with them with the understanding that if one of the spiritual leaders or their children ever tried to interfere with Them then They alone would determine when it was time for Them to be reborn.  So, essentially You don’t ever have to be reborn if You don’t want to.  It’s really all up to You at this point. 

“We just have to get Your… brains unscrambled so that we can stop this.  Other than Sam’s brother, the rest of your council has already been gathered. Once he is risen the council will be complete.”

“Holy crap I need a drink,” Tony muttered and getting up crossed to the bar and poured himself a full tumbler of whiskey.  Holding the bottle up to Sam, he pulled down another tumbler after his mate nodded to pour him one.  The entire population of the world’s safety was on their shoulders.  Shit just got real.

Heading back to the couch with the two tumblers, and the rest of the bottle, Tony sat the bottle of whiskey on the table in front of them, then gave Sam his tumbler before settling next to him.  “I have about five bazillion questions,” Tony admitted quietly still struggling with the enormous weight of it all.  Suddenly, and maybe because it was Sam with him, the thought occurred to him that if Bobby Singer didn’t believe that Tony was talking to an angel, he’d never believe this.

He wished that he’d taken more time for Sam to learn Tony and for Tony to learn Sam before coming up to The Pub now that they had some answers.  He knew that there was nothing he could do to change it now, but he was struggling and could use his mate’s comfort.  Interestingly enough, the second that the thought crossed his mind, Sam’s arm curled around his shoulders, bringing Tony’s body in to rest against his larger one.

Sighing with relief, Tony rested his head against Sam’s shoulder briefly, before asking the first question that popped into his head without any kind of importance placed on it.  “You said our council has been gathered.  Can you explain that more, please? What is this council and who are they?”

Samael nodded.  “Light and Dark have always had a council of sorts to call on for advice and to help oversee things when they are in transition from one set of bodies to the next.  The council as a whole is always an even number.  Remember, everything that you do is about balance.  There are always two regular members and something of a head advisor.  Sometimes in addition to that there are two others that serve less as advisors, but more like bodyguards if you will. 

“Of the two regular members one would in human terms be a legal type representative, and the other would be a… well I guess you’d call it a general knowledge representative.  It’s the person who is expected to be the expert on well everything religious, mythical, spiritual, etc.  Your council is formed at the standard set of eight.  If you should choose to expand it to include the other two warrior slots then you may.” 

Samael finished his drink, and poofed a dark lager into his hand before he continued.  “Now, as Az said, one of Sam’s council is in hell, and while the other is closer than he realizes, he hasn’t yet re-established contact with him.  That’s just a matter of semantics though.  As to who, well… I would assume you already know, but to play along on Tony’s side it would be his brothers Aaron and Spencer as his representatives, and Pastor Jim would be his general council.  On Sam’s side it would be his brother Dean and an old friend of his Danny Williams as his representatives.  Bobby Singer would be his general council.”

Azrael stepped in at this point and Tony noticed that the angel had taken Samael’s hand.  He decided to keep his smile to himself though.  He was glad that his friend had someone he cared about, and was already intending for those warrior positions to be filled, Sam willing, and knew just the archangels he wanted to select.

“The council isn’t always harmonious, but they always break off into pairs either of a romantic/strong platonic nature or they break into pairs of almost mortal enemies as humans would call them.  We can already see the beginnings of it with the strong friendship between Bobby Singer and Pastor Jim Murphy. So, we don’t think the enemies one will be the course with this council. It is always one or the other, never a mixture of both. Az and I may or may not have a little side bet on how the other four are going to pair up.”

Tony burst out laughing at that, and was happy to see a grin on Sam’s face also.  He hated to put a dent in that happiness, but there was a question that he really needed to ask.  He was pretty sure Sam wasn’t going to like it.  “What about the fact that Bobby Singer basically thinks that I’m crazy, and in general I’m not sure that he likes me very much?”

Tony could feel the confusion from Sam, and wondered if like the drawing his comfort earlier, this whatever Light Dark Yin Yang thing between them was beginning to build.  “Why would Bobby think you’re crazy?”

Tony sighed.  “Remember when I told you that my parents got possessed?”  HE waited for Sam to nod before he continued.

“Bobby and Pastor Jim were the ones who came to help us.  Bobby all but told my younger brother Spencer that he thought I was crazy.  He doesn’t believe that an angel would talk to me.  As I recall he told me and my brothers that we were bigger idiots than you Winchesters. So, I am a little worried how harmonious it’s going to be with him thinking I’m a lunatic.”

Sam huffed exasperated and rolled his eyes.  “Bobby thinks everyone is an idiot.  Idjit is literally his favorite thing to call people.  IF he didn’t think y’all were idjits then I would be worried.”

The angels seemed amused by this, and after they got done chuckling, Azrael spoke up.  “While it is possible to have a certain amount of distrust and discord between the sides councils, we do not believe that it will happen in this instance.  As you’ve seen, Bobby is going to find out the truth of things when Dean rises from hell, and his own angel becomes a more prominent place in his life.”

Tony frowned at the mention of another angel.  “Won’t that upset the numbers if we throw in an eleventh person… or well… ninth too I guess maybe.”

Sam shook his head fast, and looked to Tony then back to the angels.  “No eleventh is right.  I agree with Tony’s thoughts that we need the warrior positions, and that you two would be the perfect pair.  That is if you will have us?  I mean I am assuming you’ll have to be… less connected to specifically Christianity for that to happen but I know that I would feel better knowing that someone who chose to protect me was watching my back.”

Tony was watching Azrael, and felt the flair of what could almost be considered happiness from the angel through the glowing orb that was apparently stolen grace in his head.  There had been times over the last 10 years, and especially at the beginning when he was still working things out with Aaron and Spencer hated him so openly, that Azrael was the only thing holding him together.

“We have been separated from heaven for almost a thousand years now waiting and watching things unfold and unravel,” Azrael finally said speaking softly and carefully. 

“In that time we have learned much about that outside of what Father created.  In order to protect the two of you we have tried our best to learn, adapt and… evolve I guess.  To be honest, if this whole thing ended tomorrow, and we could enter heaven, I am not sure either of us would be welcome.  For one, our relationship would be frowned upon, and… well maybe it’s a rather human notion, but I am not willing to give up love for asshole brothers who wanted to destroy all of Father’s creation just for a bloody pissing match.”

Samael smiled and kissed Azrael’s knuckles as he grinned big.  “Backatcha big guy!  I’m not givin’ you up either.  So, ditto what he said.  IF you want us to be your warriors I am all for it.  As for Castiel, he won’t necessarily be one of the council, but as you pointed out he will be somewhat affiliated.  There is always a balance to these things.  Neither of us know exactly who will be taking a similar spot on Tony’s side, but we have a fairly decent suggestion for someone that might help your brother Spencer, T-man.”

Tony grinned at his mate’s angel, and hoped that the division between the sides wasn’t literal. He wanted to get to know this other angel and those who would be on Sam’s side better.  He had no interest in being part of a warring faction.  As if he read his mind, Sam piped up with a question along those lines, and Tony decided he was going to have to ask about this mind reading thing going on between him and Sam.

“So, do our sides have to stick to only their chosen half, or can I say go to Pastor Jim for council, Tony go to Samael for council?”

Az shook his head, before responding.  “While you will mostly stick to your chosen halves, there is nothing that forbids you from seeking all of the council you need within the various members.  Some councils are very rigid in their makeup and how they are run.  Other councils are very fluid.  Usually we have seen the rigid ones being more resembling the ones that fight and are mortal enemies, but not always.  The fluid ones are usually closer to one big pack, which if I had to put money down, or hell if I even could put money down, I would say that’s where your version will end up.”

 

Tony watched Samael grinned at his lover.  “Who doesn’t like a friendly wager between friends and mates? But that one is a suckers bet sweet cheeks.  So, no dice.”

Azrael rolled his eyes and grumbled good naturedly.  Tony was sure he heard something about a trip to Vegas or Monte Carlo, and tried not to laugh as he pictured his angel gambling amongst the masses.  Somehow it wouldn’t surprise him at all, and kinda wished he could go along to watch.  He had a feeling it would be better than anything.

“What happens when our council members die?”  Sam asked, and Tony felt a ping of pain in his heart at the thought of losing either Aaron or Spencer. 

“Oh, that won’t happen,” Azrael assured.  “The moment the two of you began down your road to understanding who and what you were, the eight human members including yourselves started to become immortal.”

“So, when did this process begin, because I mean… Dean is still in hell.”

Samael nodded. “Don’t worry, Sam. He’s getting out.  The second you two worked together to get yourselves here to get answers, the process began for those that are currently living.  Once Dean is risen from hell, he is process to immortality will begin.”

“Is this like highlander? Are they going to have to die to finish this process? Are people going to be running around with swords trying to chop off their heads?  Who all is going to know that we’re this Light and Dark and that the council is our council?”  Tony had so many questions flowing around in his head that he just couldn’t keep to this one at a time thing anymore.  While he was still confused, the bond or whatever that was building between himself and Sam seemed to be making him feel more stable. 

“Any why is it that Sam and I seem to be reading each other’s minds?”

The snort he got from Azrael seemed to be filled with affection, so he ignored the eye roll from his angel.  “Firstly, since we haven’t done so officially, on behalf of myself and Samael…” Tony watched Az look toward Samael who nodded quickly. “We accept your offer to become your warriors, and consider it an honor to be responsible for your protection.  You might be surprised to hear that it is not exactly uncommon for our brethren to leave the flock.  While most fall and wallow with those filthy demons, not all do.  Some go on to become vital members of other faiths and beliefs.  Sometimes for the good, and others for bad.

“Now secondly, Anthony, I have said it before, but I am saying it again. You watch too many movies.  There is no dying required, and there certainly will be no beheading.  Fortunately, we left that behind with the dark ages for the most part.  The formerly human council members will still be able to be hurt, but not mortally.  Their healing factors will also be excelled from normal human rates. 

“As to who will know whom you and the council are well that is a little more complex, but basically it will come down to it being all up to you.  With both mortals and the supernatural beings, if you will, you will have the choice to determine if they know whom you are or not.  Mortals would need to be told verbally, as they will not for the most part be able to tell any difference between you and them.  The exception to that is the sensitive humans.  They will be able to tell there is something different about you, but won’t know what.  Generally I would recommend that you not tell mortals whom and what you are unless you want to spend your lifetimes on the cover of those horrid gossip magazines, or them trying to keep you in their mental institutions.”

Samael nodded frowning, and seemed to squeeze Az’s hand.  Tony was enjoying watching the signs of affection between the two.  “Horrid places those mental hospitals.  I don’t recommend you going there.  It will be a pretty bad strain on Sam’s Empathy and therefore indirectly yours also, Leggero.  Now as to the supernatural, you will find that you can control if they know you are mortal or one of them.  You will also be able to control what they think that you are.  Tony will be limited to those creatures from the Light, and Sam will be limited to those creatures from the dark, but you will have options. 

“Those interactions I would recommend you handle on a case by case basis, but keep in mind that if word gets out that you are Light and Dark then it won’t take long for all of them to know.  The various different beings may generally hate each other, but they gossip worse than human teenaged girls or little old men sitting outside stores playing checkers.  At some point to stop all of this frankly you’re going to have to reveal just who and what you are, but I would leave the when of that act to something you and your council decide.  As they say, timing is everything.”

“Oh, I just had a thought,” Tony blurted straightening.  “Other than being immortal will our council have any like superpowers like Sam and I?  Or will they just be normal except for the whole can’t die and heal faster bit?  That last bit seems dangerous though. I mean even if they can’t die there’s a whole lotta bad that can be done to them if they’re just basically people under alla that immortality and quick healing. Like torture for example.”

Azrael nods smiling and looking proud.  “Very good, Anthony, well done. They would be considerably vulnerable from especially the supernatural, which is why they have the ability to draw from the abilities of the half they council.”

 

When the boys looked confused, Samael snorted.  “What he’s trying to say is that Aaron, Spencer, and Jim would have access to Tony’s abilities.  Dean, Danny, and Bobby would have access to Sam’s abilities.”

Sam cocks his head to one side.  “Is that why the sides pair up?”

Tony nodded enthusiastically seeing where Sam was going. “Right! Cause if they’re good little bunnies then they’d have access to both the Light abilities and the Dark abilities.  Not that I know what that is but… it sounds like a good idea.”

“You’re such smart cookies,” Samael praised slightly tongue in cheek, but looking as proud as his mate had earlier.

“Eventually your abilities will be vast,” Azrael began.  “For right now though you are somewhat limited, because your Light and Dark selves are still damaged from what my brothers did to you both.  To try and make up for that, Samael and I have given you some abilities to aid you.  Now, Sam’s abilities are somewhat tricky because they are somewhat influenced by the demon Azazel’s blood that is still within him.  Fortunately, that will be completely burnt out once the two of you bond fully.  So, hopefully shortly the two of you will not have to worry your pretty little heads about unhealthy influence on young Samuel.

“You both have visions, and Samuel your visions were never demon powered no matter what that heathen Azazel told you or implied.  Your visions were sent to you by Samael to try and assist you with that scoundrel.  Now the telekinesis was all that thing.  That will go away temporarily, but may return once you get your Dark abilities.  Your influence on demons however… that will not change.  That is a basic part of your Dark self that cannot be changed, and appears to have been untouched by what my brethren did.”

“So, I really am evil?”  Sam asked sounding wounded and Tony frowned before setting his empty tumbler aside and curling up into his mate.  He could feel the pain of the belief, even if it wasn’t ringing true to Tony.

“NO!” Samael snapped, and took a breath when Azrael squeezed his hand.  Tony rubbed a hand up and down over Sam’s stomach to try and settle his mate.   That notion was not one that just popped into Sam’s head, and Tony was going to make damn well sure that he was never made to feel or believe that about himself again.

“Your father and other’s notion that you are somehow evil because of what that demon did you to is frankly stupid and offensive.  You are not evil, Sam. Even without all of this going on, you would not be evil.  Light and Dark certainly do not translate that way. Dark does not equal evil, and Light does not equal good.  Some of the most horrendous acts that this planet has seen have been done at the hands of good and righteousness.” 

Azrael rubs his mate’s hand, as he took over the explanation.  “Does your control and influence lead you to the darker side that being demons, hell hounds, Lucifer, etcetera? Yes Samuel, it does.  That does not make you yourself evil.

“It means that you are in charge of keeping the darker aspects of this planet on balance with Anthony’s lighter side.  You are not setting out and plotting how to hurt people. You are ensuring those dark forces that are unfortunately necessary and do regrettable plot how to hurt people and commit those acts do not get out of hand. As Samael said YOU are NOT evil, and anyone that believes otherwise is a simpleton.  Since I happen to know that you are not such a thing, I would hope you will get that idea right out of your head.”

Tony saw Sam nod, and through the bond felt him processing Azrael’s words, allowing them to comfort him.  “So, if Sam has influence over the demons, does that mean I have influence over the angels?”

Samael nodded shortly, and Tony watched him take a deep breath before answering. “Yes, that is exactly what it means.  While I would like to believe we’ll be able to keep Lucifer in that cage.  I have no doubt that the demons and my brothers will find a way to get him out.  So, when the time comes you, Leggero, will be responsible for stopping Michael. Buio, will be responsible for stopping Lucifer.”

Tony cocked his head and thought about the revelation.  “Because Light isn’t about good and Dark isn’t about evil. So, even though Lucifer is an angel, because he is fallen and wished for an end to humanity, he is dark. Therefore, Sam has influence over him not because he has moved toward Dark and therefore is in Sam’s realm of influence.”

Samael nodded relaxing upon hearing that his charge’s mate understood.  “Which is all the more amusing considering that he believes Buio here is his true vessel, the dumb schmuck.”

When Sam frowned, Tony responded before the younger man could even voice his question. “Leggero is Light in Italian. Buio is Dark in Italian.  You could call him Guardiano Scuro, and Az would be Guardiano Luce.”

“You speak Italian?”  Sam asked sounding surprised and feeling impressed over the tentative bond.

Tony nodded, and spoke absently as he considered getting another drink.  “Senior demanded it of both Spencer and myself before they gave themselves over.  The demons thought it amusing, and made us continue.  La lingua del demonio they called it. The language of the devil.  I don’t know why. Probably because my father was a sadistic bastard even before he gave himself to demons.  Why would Lucifer think that Sam is his true vessel?”

“Because he doesn’t know that Samuel is really Dark, and therefore has misinterpreted what he sensed in Sam’s soul before he was born.  Since they didn’t know we’d hidden Light and Dark in human souls, he arrogantly assumed what he wanted to feel.”

“Lucifer can see or feel what’s going on from his cage?”  Sam asked frowning, and Samael nodded. 

“Yes, something like a tease of things he’ll never have real access to.  Although when he gets out, I think that Father will find that little tidbit could bite us all in the ass.”

Tony sighed and yawned running a hand over his face.  “I know we’ve talked around it, but Az you didn’t really say what all Sam and I can do now other than the visions. Or is that it?”

Azrael shook his head. “My apologies. I believe we got distracted by something or another.”

“Sam thinking he’s evil,” Tony advised, and Samael started his grumbling again, as Azrael patted his hand.

“There, there my love. Yes, we know they’re nincompoops.  Now then where were we… aah yes. Currently, Anthony, you are slightly more advanced than Samuel because you had access to me, while he had to wait for you to find him.  Because of Azazel’s influence, Samael was blocked out from most contact even if that dratted demon didn’t realize what he’d done. 

“Anthony, you have your visions, which are generally guided by me until you become fully yourself again.  You also have influence over all angels or other light beings. This means you can call them, kill them, influence them, or go to where they are if you are familiar with them as you did tonight with me.  You can also take a bit of their essence, as in my case with the bit of my Grace that you thieved, and form something of a connection with them.  You have a bit of healing abilities, and because you are connected to me you have an enhanced sense of justice and dealing out punishment.”

Samael, now calm again, took over to discuss Sam’s abilities.  “Buio, you being Dark will have influence over all demons and other dark beings. As with Tony you can also call, kill, influence, or go to wherever they are if you are familiar with an individual or know who or what you are after.  Because I am the archangel of Fetching Souls, you’ll have the ability to call up the dead, and you also have control over Reapers and other such beings that control the dead.  I am sure you’ll see the irony in that.  Lastly, you’ll have the ability to disguise yourself as one of the dark beings including taking on their supernatural abilities temporarily.

“Because you’re slightly further behind Tony, it will take a bit for you to have full access to these things.  I’m sure he’ll tell you about the months he spent working on his visions and how to control them, store them, and recall them.  Now, the closer that you two become the more connected you will be.  You’ll be able to communicate telepathically, share visions and your empathic feelings, and will be aware of each other including where the other is and how the other is doing at all times.”

Azrael smiled at Tony who was fighting valiantly to stay awake.  “Once you two bond fully, you’ll have full access to these things.  As you each heal and become more Light and Dark then you’ll find other things popping up.  For the moment though, I think that we have filled your heads with enough information.  Home with you both.  You need to sleep, and I suggest you commence with the bonding as soon as possible.  Oh, and speaking of… never fear boys, Light and Dark are not sexual beings.  Meaning the bonding process does not have a sexual component.  Affection, yes. Sex, no. So, go on with you, and remember that we are always here for you protecting, watching, and ready for your command.”

Tony nodded and the two wished their new warrior angels goodnight before they were sent back to their bodies.  Yawning, neither chose to undress any further.  Instead they curled around each other and went to sleep almost immediately.  Their bond growing slowly throughout the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for reading. I hope that you are still enjoying it!


	8. Bonding on the Italian Shore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Tony spend some time in Italy at their angelically created retreat. While there they get to know each other, and meet some adorable long lost friends.

##  Chapter Eight: Bonding on the Italian Shore

  
  


Tony and Sam spent two days discussing their visit to The Pub with Aaron and Spencer, as well as trying to regain their energy.  It seemed that whatever transition that was happening was physically taxing on them all.  Calls to Pastor Jim and Bobby confirmed they also were struggling with their energy level.  Of course Bobby refused to chalk it up to anything other than the flu, and was apparently quite upset that Jim had ‘roped Sam into that damned kid’s insanity’.

Sam had been quite upset to hear for himself just now stubborn Bobby was being about the whole thing, but Tony assured him that the time would come when he wouldn’t be able to any longer.  At that time Tony promised that he would be giving the old fart the mother of all I told you so’s.  Sam promised that he was perfectly happy to let him.

With the lack of energy on Tony’s part had come one of his quiet spells.  Neither Aaron nor Spencer had seemed to awfully surprised, and Sam promised that he would be patient.  Aaron offered to explain, but Sam politely advised that if it was ok he would rather hear it from Tony whenever he was ready.

Tony could tell from the look on Aaron’s face that his older brother was more than a little impressed.  He just smiled to himself, and rested his head on Sam’s shoulder closing his eyes.  The others were watching something on the television, but Tony was just content to be near his mate and feel the way the tentative bond between them was growing with every minute.

He should have known that the angels wouldn’t give him long before the forced the bonding issue.  About a week after Azrael and Samael dropped the bombshell on Tony and Sam of their true identities, Tony woke up to find himself on a deck chair overlooking the bluest water he’d ever seen in his life.  There was an umbrella somewhere just behind his chair shading his eyes from the bright sunlight.

Looking around, he saw that Sam was asleep on a chair beside him.  The chairs themselves were a dark wood with white padded covers.  Sitting up, he pulled up the back and frowned checking out the scenery around him.  They appeared to be on some kind of sandy beach, but there was what appeared to be a house not far away.  He could see a patio covered by the same cloth that the chair covers were made of.  Looking out at the water, he saw a bottle bobbing up and down not too far offshore.

Rubbing his hands over his face, Tony stood and tapped Sam lightly on the shoulder before walking to retrieve the bottle.  Briefly, he stood in the water, which was lapping around his ankles, and looked at the surrounding countryside. 

They seemed to be in the mountains or a mountainous region, as he could see peaks of mountains in the distance.  He could also see a town not far off seeming to rise from the rocking hillside.  The view was familiar. In f, ct it might be a little too familiar, as it reminded him of a picture at The Pub that he liked to look at.  He’d more than once told Azrael that someday he’d like to go to that place and live there.  Somehow he felt just by looking at the picture that he belonged there.

Shaking his head as a notion about what was going on began to form, Tony stepped a little further into the surf, and retrieved the bottle that was just bobbling up and down.  Funny enough though it never moved from that spot no matter what the waves did.  He snorted at Az and Samael’s lack of subtlety. They might as well as have put a blinking neon sign over it that said read me.

Carrying the bottle back to land, Tony smiled happily seeing that Sam was awake.  Showing him the bottle, he trotted to the man’s chair bypassing his own.  The frames of the deck chairs looked big enough and sturdy enough to hold them, and he was pleased to find out that he was telling the truth.  When he perched on the chair arm, Sam quickly put an arm around his waist and pulled him into his lap making Tony laugh.

“Do you know where we are?”  Sam asked. His voice was still husky from just waking up. 

Tony looked around again before turning his head to look at Sam. “Looks like a picture in The Pub that I always look at.  I believe that we’re in Italy. Although weather it’s for real or just kinda faux real like when we go see the angels, I don’t know.”

Sam nodded before taking the bottle from his hands, and shaking out the letter.  When he then set about reading it out loud, Tony could feel the tiny seedling of love that had been planted between then grow ever so slightly.  He loved that Sam seemed to be trying at least to accept him as he was.  There hadn’t been a single complaint or comment trying to get him to talk more over the last week that he’d been mostly silent.

_ Masters Leggero and Buio, _

_ If you have reached this place, then you have decided that it was time to bond, even if you are not conscious of the decision.  There are a lot of things going on with you that don’t have what humans would consider an acceptable explanation.  They just are and that is the only explanation available.  _

_ Bonding between you both is a more mental process.  There is no physical aspect because Light and Dark are not sexual creatures, and your human bodies are just temporary housings created specifically for you.  Bonding means each of you opening your mind completely to the other.  _

_ Opening doors and illuminating spaces that you have intentionally left shut and dark must be shared with the other person.  Never fear there will be many happy wonderful moments along the way.  The point of your existence is always balance, never forget that.  This means sharing the good and the bad, the absolute best and the horrific worst equally. _

_ We understand that this means a great deal of pain and hurt being reopened.  Because of that we have brought you to a place of beauty and peace.  This villa is yours for the remainder of your existence.  Consider it a gift from us to you and your new cabinet.  You will find plenty of room for you all inside. _

_ This is not one of your visions, nor is it a mental journey as when you come visit The Pub.  You are physically here.  Do not worry about your brothers, Leggero, because Azrael has visited your brother Aaron and explained what is happening.  He and Spencer will be handling the case you were to be working on with a few nudges in the right direction from Az.  _

_ Take all the time that you need here.  This is an important step and should not be rushed.  Inside the villa you will find a few open places such as the library, kitchen, master bedroom, and a movie room. The remainder of the many rooms are sealed, and will need to be unsealed by you.  Each room represents a moment that one of you needs to share with the other.  This moment could be good or bad.  _

_ You will not have to speak to relay the moment.  Once you have accessed the room or space, the scene will replay itself not as the bearer remembers, but as it actually happened.  We know sometimes the human mind changes things to protect itself.  That however cannot happen here.  You will be able to tell whose moment it is ahead of time as the door will be marked with either Yin or Yang’s symbol and something to clue the bearer into what lies inside.  _

_ Do not worry about basic needs such as cooking, cleaning, etcetera.  Some friends have come to join you. I think you will find a few of them will travel with you when you return to your normal lives.  Do not worry, others will only see them as they wish to be seen. _

_ Good luck, and happy bonding, _

_ Samael and Azrael _

Tony looked at Sam for a brief moment before scrambling off his lap and running to the house.  He could hear Sam laughing and looking back saw that he was chasing after him.  Reaching the back patio he stopped to look at the surroundings, and couldn’t help but feel peaceful. It just felt like he belonged in this place. 

“Master! You have come!”

Turning toward the direction of the sound, Tony saw a handful of short human looking creatures.  Although clearly they were not human.  None of them were over three foot tall he would guess, and the five or six assembled were all different colors.  They had tall pointy ears that reminded him of Spock in Star Trek only taller. The peak of these came above the little creatures’ heads.  On their backs were wings that looked more like a moth or a butterfly than the feathery wings of his angel. Only unlike a butterfly that had set colors in its wings, these seemed to have a life of their own.  The colors matched or complimented the color of the individual and seemed to flow like water the colors flowing around within the confines of the individual cells.  Their hair was long and flowing down their backs either straight or curls, and seemed to be multicolored resembling different colored rainbows.

“Master!” The same creature called again.  He was purple with purple and blue wings.  His hair was wavy and it seemed he wore it free flowing.  He was wearing white tunic with a lightning bolt on the front Tony guessed it was a he as there were little ones with what appeared to be breasts.  The creature launched itself at him unexpectedly.  Startled, Tony caught it, and the second he touched it felt like he’d been struck by lightning.  Falling back he landed awkwardly in a chair, and found himself laughing as memories crashed through his head.

“Zeus!”  Tony shouted laughing hugging the little creature called a Fairy Angel to him.

Hearing a similar call from Sam of Hades, he turned to see a dark green fairy angel sitting on the man’s chest.  This one seemed to be bucking convention because his hair was cut into a dark rainbow colored Mohawk.  That seemed to free the others as they were surrounded by little fairy angels.  If Tony remembered correctly there were 14 total that served the cabinet as a whole. Although there were others that came and went as they pleased, and changed based on whomever was working with the council.   

He and Sam each had two personal fairy angels, and then each cabinet member had their own.  The household in general had four, which was divided into a male and female set one being inside the household and one set working on the grounds of whatever dwelling they had chosen.  Then as he recalled it was possible that any associates of the council would have a fairy angel should the little creatures so choose.  Again though always in pairs. Everything in their lives were even and balanced.

As he lay on the ground smiling a lilac colored girl fairy angel came up to him, and he noticed a seafoam green colored one heading to Sam.  Smiling Tony lifted a hand and ran it over her hair. “Hello, Hera.”

“Master! What do we call you this time? What is your name? When do we get new clothes?”

Tony laughed and pulled her in for a hug, grinning when she squeaked with pleasure.  Hera and Zeus were twins and his personal fairy angels. Hades and Artemis were not twins, but were siblings, and were Sam’s personal fairy angels.  Hearing a purring, he looked to see Artemis cuddled up with Sam and smiled.  The little girl was quite affectionate with her master and could often be found settled on his lap when she wasn’t leading him him through the woods or along some mountain path. 

They had named each fairy angel after a Greek god.  They little creatures hadn’t always been in their lives, but had entered around the time that the Romans were in power, and adapting their deities to fit those of the newly conquered Greek Gods and Goddesses. Having worked with the Greek deities in their previous “lives” they were feeling somewhat nostalgic, and chose to name their new friends after old ones.

All of the “Twelve Olympians” were there, even though there was 13 because neither of them were choosing between Hestia and Dionysus, and so they’d added Hades for well… balance.  There were others that popped in and our as those surrounding the council changed.  The main 14 Fairy Angels were always there, and the newcomers were always named after the Greek Gods and Goddesses.

“Masters bonding, again?”  Zeus asked peering down at Tony. “Lots of closed doors. Lots of big house.”

“Yes, Zeus,” Tony assured. “Sam and I, whom you may call Tony in this body, are going to bond now and get rid of the locked doors.  I think our family is going to be bigger this time. So, we need a bigger house.  We already have added two Champions we stole from the Christian’s God.  Whoever knows who will show up next?”

“Zeus knows, but he no telling you,” the small creature declared, and Tony snorted before Hera shoved him right off Tony’s chest.

“You no dos. Stop makin’ things up!”  Hera huffed, and looked down at her master getting one last stroke of her hair before hopping off.  Enough waiting now Master Tony. Time to start with the doors.  No like some of them at all.”

Tony nodded and standing held out his hand to Sam helping him up.

“How about we knock down a door?”  The younger man asked, and Tony nodded again in agreement.  Carefully the two made their way inside and through what appeared to be the library stopping at the first door they saw.  On the outside was the symbol for Yang, and the word Mammon with several gold coin looking depictions on it. 

Swallowing heavily, Tony felt Sam squeeze his hand tightly.  Trying to take as much comfort from the man next to him.  Reaching out he grabbed the doorknob and turned it, leading Sam inside to where his own personal hell was waiting for him in the form of Anthony DiNozzo, Sr and the demon he’d allowed to possess him for three years.

~~~~~~~~ 

A couple days later, Tony found himself sitting in the library staring into the fire Zeus has built in the fireplace.  They had unlocked six rooms so far. Three of Tony’s moments and three of Sam’s.  They’d felt that they needed to open one for Sam for every one of Tony’s, and although they both felt instinctively they had a time period to open the next door it didn’t have to happen immediately.  So far Tony was two bad memories to one good one. Sam was the opposite. Two good memories to one bad one.  They weren’t sure if that part was intentional or luck of the draw. 

Sam was off taking a shower.  They’d just finished dinner cooked by Demeter, and Apollo was now helping her clean up the kitchen.  Hera was practically glued to Tony’s side, and didn’t let him far out of her sight if Sam wasn’t around.  Zeus could often be found nearby keeping watch for something. Tony wasn’t sure what, but he and Sam had agreed not to question it.  The Fairy Angels at the moment knew more about what was going on than they did. 

Sam interestingly had the reverse going on. Hades was stuck to his side like glue, and Artemis was patrolling around his general vicinity restlessly presumably looking for the same thing that Zeus was.  Tony wondered if it was the balance thing, or if it was just something in the Fairy Angel’s personalities.  The little companions were certainly showing that off in spades. 

The togas had all been shed, and they were how clothed in varying looks from the last several centuries.  Aries was marching around in black leather pants, a white t shirt, and had a black leather jacket always nearby. Aphrodite however was almost constantly in a dress that looked like it was something out of Tudor Era England.  Athena was wearing soft leather pants and an equally soft cotton shirt.  Poseidon refused to change out of his bathing suit until they left Italy and he was reunited with his knight.

“Danny,” Sam said coming into the room with Hades following closely.  Tony watched amused as Hera hopped down and disappeared from the room.  Hades joined Zeus in his patrolling, and Artemis ran off outside most likely to check on Ares who was patrolling the outside of the Villa.

Tony looked at Sam as the younger man sat on the couch next to him.  “I am convinced that Poseidon is my old friend Danny’s, and Ares is Aaron’s.”  Tony nodded having come to that decision himself about Ares.  He was curious to see how the rest of the Fairy Angels settled amongst houses and council members. "There's so much about Poseidon that reminds me of him. I wonder which one is going to be Dean's."

“I think you’re right.” Tony agreed letting himself settle against Sam.  He was tired.  Today they’d relived Aaron leaving, and Sam leaving for college.  Two highly stressful moments with a moment reflecting Sam meeting Jessica at Stanford as something happy.  The good thing about all of this was that it felt like it was working.  He could feel Sam’s very being combining with his own in his mind.  The loss of his own individuality was a little worrying at first, but the two had discussed it.

As Sam had said the end goal wasn’t for them to be two halves of one person.  The end goal was for them to be two individual people who lived harmoniously together with no secrets or barriers between them.  Tony would still be Tony with his silent periods, and love for every kind of music there was.  Sam would still be slightly wounded and committed to the fact that his family’s legacy was hunting the evil things that went bump in the dark.  They would just each have a better understanding for why Tony had his silent periods, and why hunting that Windego and helping the family it terrorized was so important to Sam.

“I will never prompt you to talk when you don’t want to,” Sam explained softly, and Tony felt the change in his mate through their connection.

“My… Dean my brother… after our mother died when I was a baby, he didn’t talk for months.  I never really thought about it until I found out a few years back, but once I knew I realized that he still has moments when he doesn’t talk.  When things get bad or too stressful he’s prone to just not talking.  Sometimes trying to get him to say something is harder than anything.  I wish now, understanding you and your reasoning behind your quiet spells, that I’d handled it differently sometimes.  I can’t help but wonder if maybe things wouldn’t have been so tense between us at times.”

Tony frowns and looks at Sam considering his words before speaking.  “He’s your brother, Sam.  There’s a difference between not wanting to talk because you need to be quiet, and not wanting to talk because you are being stubborn and don’t want to admit you’re in pain.  I saw one of those moments, remember?  That was being stubborn.  Not wanting to admit that he was hurting, and while maybe it could have gone different… the difference I see between you and Dean and me and Aaron is that there is no double standard with us.  Maybe it’s because I have a smaller sample right now, but it seems that Dean tends to refuse to speak himself, and then get mad at you if you don’t share every single little thing that goes on in your head exactly the moment he wants you to share it.”

Sam rested his head against his, and Tony felt the arm around his shoulders tense a moment before he let out a deep breath.  “I don’t know exactly, but I get the feeling that you will understand this. Dean was everything when I was growing up.  He was mother, father, best friend, keeper of my secrets, antagonist, and any other relationship you can think of.  We were never in one place long enough to develop a real connection to anyone else.  Dad never stayed around long enough to be a real parent, and when he was he was drunk off his ass most of the time.”

Sam snorted and shook his head.  “Dean was his favorite, and he didn’t ever hesitate to make sure that I was aware how lacking he saw me as.  Of course, Dean sees it differently.  He seems to believe dad was just trying to train us, but it doesn’t seem to occur to either of them that maybe I didn’t want to train.  Only then eventually I had no choice in the matter, and now I don’t know if I could survive a normal life as much as sometimes I still want it.  I like the idea of this place. I like the idea of the council even more.  It feels like we’re building something more than just advisors here.  It feels like maybe we’re building something that we both desperately need and want. That being a family.”

When Sam twined his fingers in with Tony’s who remained quiet sensing the younger man needed the opportunity to speak freer than he had been allowed to maybe ever.  “This thing between us… I need it.  I think a part of me always knew that it was out there somewhere, because now that I have you I can’t imagine going without you again.  I hate my father.  I know it isn’t a popular notion with my brother, but I do.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love him too, which sounds completely messed up and doesn’t make sense and…”

“Family is complicated,” Tony assured.  “I understand trust me.”

“I miss my brother like there’s literally a hole in my soul,” Sam admitted sounding wounded.  “I need him back. Even with you here, I need him back.  It feels like this huge part of me is missing. I need this thing between us, because it makes all the hurts make sense, more bearable than they were before.  It scares the crap out of me what Dean is going to say about all of this when he gets back.  I am scared to death that he’s going to hate me, but I can’t and won’t give us up for that.  Everything that we’re doing, everything we’ve found, all of this just feels too right, too us, too much like everything that I was meant to be.  It sure as fuck feels better, more righteous than being made to believe that I am some kind of walking evil just because my mother made a deal I had no control over.

“Sometimes I want to hate her so much.  Other times I want to love her as much as my father and brother do.  Most of the time though I just mostly feel indifferent.  I never really knew her.  She died when I was 6 months old.  I love her because she’s my mom, but I don’t miss her.  If I had a chance of seeing her, if she was like out there somewhere alive maybe it would be different.  If she hadn’t given me over to a fucking demon before I was even conceived maybe it would be different.  As it is, I just… I can’t love her like Dean does, and mostly I don’t even want to.  You though I want to love, and I will ruin anyone who tries to come between us.”

“Yeah,” Tony agreed in more of a breath than actual speech.  Clearing his throat he tried for actual words. 

“Just remember that Dean will come back, and things will work out with him and us.  Don’t forget that you have Aaron now to help.  He’s not going to let your brother cause a bunch of upheaval. Dean being worried for you is one thing, but if he’s just being an ass to be an ass then that’s not going to fly with Aaron.  I know he already sees you as the same as Spencer and myself.  You’re his brother as much as we are, and he’s not going to let your actual brother hurt us especially for something that wasn’t out fault.  There’s no sense in borrowing trouble over it though.  For all we know Dean could be perfectly fine with it.”

Sam nodded and curled toward Tony a little more and lay back so they could curl around each other on the couch.  Closing their eyes, the each eventually fell asleep, not waking when Hera snuck in and covered them up with a blanket.

A little more than a week later, Sam found himself sitting out on one of the lounge chairs that they’d first found themselves in.  He could feel every bit of Tony in his head.  His mate was currently inside meeting with the Fairy Angels that would stay with the house. Some were permanently placed with the building, and some were just there until their cabinet members were aware of them. 

Zeus, Hera, Hades, and Artemis would go with them everywhere.  Tony’d had nearly a half hour laughing fit when he kept picturing Hades and Zeus on a hunt with them.  The Fairy Angels had been a little concerned he’d lost his mind, except Hera. She’d approved of his laughter, because she felt Zeus chasing after a monster 20 times his size was the thing of comedy.

Athena, who they believed was Spencer’s was a Navy blue colored female with a rainbow of deep pink, fuchsia, eggplant, magenta, periwinkle, pine green, and orange yellow colored hair, was coming with them.  She had a little suitcase packed with all of her clothes that just appeared.  Most prized seemed to be the six pair of boots ranging from ankle height to knee height and different colors all with flat bottoms in case she had to run. 

Ares, whom they had finally agreed was Aaron’s Fairy Angel, was also coming.  He was a pure black color.  Tony had joked he’d be the #000000 on the color coding chart.  His hair was a typical rainbow color and completely straight that he mostly kept pulled back with a leather strap.  He had his clothes in a military style rucksack, wore combat boots, and his most prized possessions were his crossbow and his knife collection.  He was doing one final patrol around the Villa with Hestia and Dionysus to make sure they knew where the weak points were and what he expected done to correct that.

They’d remembered that the Fairy Angels could transport themselves where ever they needed to go, which was a good thing.  This meant that they didn’t have to come get them once the others were onboard with their companions.  Tony and Sam both were the most amused to get Pastor Jim his companion, because they were pretty sure it was Aphrodite. The least pious Fairy Angel of the bunch. 

Artemis was settled on Sam’s lap reading a book in a language that he couldn’t yet remember.  Tony was going over decorating plans for the Villa with Demeter, whom seemed to be generally in charge of the inside of the house with Apollo as her assistant. Dionysus the youngest Fairy Angel on the other hand seemed to be in charge of the Outside, and Sam had met with him the previous afternoon to go over plans and expectations. 

The two men were completely connected and synchronized with each other.  It was weird and wonderful for Sam to have such a complete connection with someone, and not have to worry that it would ever be taken away.  They’d already decided that they weren’t giving up these bodies any time soon.  There were obviously too many that they couldn’t trust, and the universe couldn’t handle any more imbalance caused by interference during a rebirthing cycle.

None of that was on Sam’s mind though, because Tony was fairly confident that Dean’s time to come back would be happening soon.  They’d discussed the option of sending Samael in to get him sooner than what was planned by the angels and demons, but as much as Sam hated leaving him there, they’d decided they couldn’t risk damaging the bond with Castiel or risking imbalance.  He also had some idea that they had to be “more themselves” to make such an order, and they just weren’t yet.  While it was out of Sam’s hands, the guilt of having to leave his big brother in hell while he was sunning at an Italian Villa was eating him alive.

Tony promised that once they had him out, they’d do whatever they could to repair whatever damage that had been done by Azazel and his following.  One thing that was starting to come back to Tony was his healing ability.  He had a notion that it would be more powerful than any other religious being’s once it was at full strength.  Sam just hoped that it would be able to cover his mental scars and injuries as well as the physical ones.

He’d seen the visions of fights between himself and Dean in the coming days or months after his rising.  He’d also seen the vision of their split with Spencer going with Dean of which he was unsure how quickly that would happen.  The feel for the timing of it seemed to change, and Tony told him the same had happened with their meeting. It seemed that sometimes the visions were dependent on things outside of their immediate control like decisions being made by others. 

One positive was that Athena and Poseidon were both loyal to Light and Dark along with their Fairy Angel brothers and sisters, and would not allow things to go too far off track.  Hades assured him that they also would absolutely not let themselves be left behind when the “stupie angry heads” took off alone.

Fortunately, he’d also seen the reunion in the end, and the bond that hadn’t been severed again.  Sam knew Dean was stubborn, and wasn’t going to want to buy into all that was happening to not only him, but now Dean himself.  He also knew that once Dean accepted his role there would be no breaking him from it. It would help the pain of losing him so quickly knowing that eventually he’d come back to him.

Honestly, he could handle a little strife as his older brother found his way, if it just meant that the man was walking, talking, and not being tortured in hell.  He just fucking had to get him out of the godforsaken pit of damnation.  The guilt and pain were eating at him ruthlessly, and now that he was so absolutely connected to Tony, there was no way to hide it from the man.  Fortunately, as Tony pointed out, he carried around his own guilt for Spencer having transformed from the bright, happy child to the angry, rebellious man Sam knew.  Thus he knew and understood Sam’s guilt.

“Ready, Freddy?”  He heard and turning his head found Tony standing there with their little procession of Fairy Angels and their belongings.  The sight of them made him smile, and broke the gloom of his thoughts of Dean. 

“This not logical! His name not Freddy!” Hades pointed out frustrated, and Sam laughed softly as the Fairy Angel flew up to sit on Sam’s shoulder.  Artemis stood next to him holding his hand, and her luggage with her other.

Tony grinned, and Sam rolled his eyes at the enjoyment he could feel in their connection that his mate got from tweaking Hades.  According to Hera it was a long ongoing occurrence, and not likely to be ending anytime soon.  She was also though of the opinion that Hades needed to lighten up a little, and was known to tweak him herself.  Sam hadn’t failed to notice that the mischievous glimmer on her eyes at times matched her master’s perfectly.  The Gods help them all if Tony and Dean ever got into a prank war.                                       

Gathering close together, Tony and Sam held hands and pictured the house, glad to finally be going home.  It helped though to know that this place was always waiting for them.  Their little piece of paradise always accessible, and always theirs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poseidon was originally meant to be Dean's and then it changed later to Danny Williams from Hawaii 5-0. I believe I caught all the previous connections between Dean and Poseidon. I apologize though if I missed one.
> 
> My Fairy Angels were based on DarkJediQueen's House Elves from her NANO last year.


	9. Surprises All Around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The brothers' Hotchner-DiNozzo takes take Sam to their own favorite roadhouse so he can meet some of their friends. Once there, Sam finds a member of his cabinet. Then we find out Gibbs should have listened to his father's warning about his temper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This damned chapter makes me cry every time I read it. Seriously, I recommend having tissues handy. Although, I might be more attached to my Fairy Angels than I should be.

#  Chapter Nine: Surprises All Around

 

It was two weeks after Sam and Tony returned from their bonding at the villa.  They were on their way to Stillwater, Pennsylvania where the brothers’ Hotchner-DiNozzo’s favorite stopping place was when they were between jobs.  Tony and Sam were in the Impala with Zeus, Hades, Hera, and Artemis were in the backseat occupying themselves during the drive.  Zeus and Hades were usually playing cards. They were playing poker specifically for Reese’s Pieces, Bugles, and mini Hershey kisses.

Tony had tried to point out that usually people played for chips or money, but they said they didn’t like chips as much as candy and bugels. Sam snorted beside him and told him to let them be.  Hera was reading magazines. They’d stopped at a convenience store, and she’d come inside with him.  It was a unique experience. 

Apparently only those that Light and Dark allowed could see them.  So, she’d headed to the magazines, and once Tony joined her she pointed out various ones she wanted to read.  They now had about a dozen or more different versions of Home & Garden, Women’s Day, Vogue, and Cosmopolitan.   Artemis occasionally checked one out, but mostly she sat with headphones on listening to music.  It seemed mostly Justin Timberlake, Adele, Coldplay, and Rihanna.

Occasionally one of the four would get bored and fly up to stand on the front seat and look out the windshield.  This was more Zeus and Hades than it was the girls.  The boys liked to see where they were going and seemed to get excited.  At the moment, Zeus was standing between them with his little hands braced on the dash as he made little motor noises to match the engine.  When a turn came up, he’d lean into it, and Sam quipped he must have been a motorcycle racer in his past life. 

Of course, Hades pointed out that they didn’t have past lives, it was only these lives.  Sam rolled his eyes, as Tony snickered and threatened to tie down the Fairy Angel and make him watch comedy to see if he could find his sense of humor.  When Hera advised they’d tried that once and it only confused him more, Tony almost turned blue from laughing so long.

Aaron and Spencer were following behind them in the Hummer with Ares and Athena with them.  Aaron and Ares had hit it off right away.  They each had the same outwardly serious expression that hid a wicked sense of humor but could put the fear of death into you with a single glare.  Athena and Spencer though were slowly warming up to each other.  The little female had taken one look at Spencer and frowned declaring him “not right, not same”.  However when Aaron suggested that maybe she wasn’t Spencer’s companion, she’d literally hissed at him and hid all the bullets for his guns for three days.

Spencer’d apparently taken that as an olive branch, and Athena seemed to be trying to get used to the fact that Spencer was different than the ones she’d been with in the past.  That set off a series of questions that educated them all.  The Fairy Angels had filled in the gaps in the information Azrael and Samael provided them with.

It seemed that immortality wasn’t quite the right word for what happened to the council, or rather it was immortality with conditions.  They were immortal only as long as Light and Dark were in their new bodies.  The bodies of not just Light and Dark, but the council as a whole were always created for them by the being they’d taken to calling “Grandfather”, and placed either all within the a certain religious sect, or all within different religious sects. 

Once Light and Dark had moved onto begin the process of passing onto a new body, the council members’ immortality went away.  They then died a mortal death, and were put into place by Grandfather so that they could reconnect with Light and Dark upon their rebirth.  So, the council was always the council.  Their souls were always the same.  Their roles were always the same, but because they were open to influence their personalities and interactions could change.  Hence the differing personalities of the councils as a whole switching between harmony and warring with each incarnation.

The two Head Advisors were always born first.  The Strategy advisors were always born next. Then it seemed to be a mixture of Light and Dark or the last advisors.  The Champions when used were never mortal, and always seemed to come from one of the various religions, but always gave up their loyalty to that deity until the rebirth happened.  It seemed that sometimes the Champions were welcomed back, and others they were ostracized finding themselves needing to move onto another established religion or start their own belief system.

“This it?”  Sam asked, and Tony nodded as Zeus jumped into his lap practically vibrating with excitement. 

“Yup,” Tony confirmed putting his hands on the little Fairy Angel’s waist.  As they pulled in there was only one car that he didn’t recognize a sweet looking silver Camero.  Turning his head, he studied the Fairy Angels in the back who were already packing up and ready to go in.  Something made him a little anxious about them going on, but they couldn’t just leave them in the car.  While they weren’t animals that could be affected by the heat or the cold, they were treasured family members, and making them sit in the car like they couldn’t take care of themselves was just cruel.  Still, he worried, but of course he always worried.

“Where are we, again?” Sam asked taking Tony’s hand as he came around the front of the Impala Fairy Angels running ahead, excited about new places to explore.  Tony could feel the same trepidation that he was feeling coming though their bond.

“Stillwater, Pennsylvania,” Came from Reid who had come up behind them with Aaron. Ares running up to join the others, and turning his head Tony saw Athena perched happily in Spencer’s arms.  “It’s a small town, and a perfect place for hunters although we have found this is the best of the hunter hangouts that we have found.”

“You just have a boy crush on Rossi,” Aaron teased stepping forward and heading to the door before the Fairy Angels decided to take matters into their own hands and go in without them.

Spencer was still protesting venomously when they all got inside the building.  As it was about two in the afternoon the place was mostly dead.  The building sat on the outskirts of town. Gibbs’ father ran a general store in the middle of town and wanted to keep the general townfolk as separate from the roadhouse as possible.

Tony and his brothers had seen a few of these places before finding this one.  The others all had the same basic seedy bar look.  This one though at least tried to look respectable.  Tony figured that was Rossi’s influence. 

The bar was a gleaming dark wood with a shiny brass rail and handmade by Leroy Jethro Gibbs himself.  One of the two partners who ran the place.  The other was David Rossi who mostly took care of the food and numbers side of the business.  The two were marines and had met up in the service while being stationed together.  After the war, Gibbs dragged Rossi home to Stillwater and into the family business.

The pack headed through the dining room where Rossi tried to keep the respectable townsfolk when they showed up, and into the bar area where the hunters tried to stay in deference to the men’s wishes. 

“Well, look who the cat drug in, and they even brought a new playmate, or should we say boy mate, Tonio?”  Rossi called from behind the bar where he appeared to be washing glasses.  Gibbs was standing next to him cutting up limes with one of the silver knives that he kept behind the bar.

Tony blushed as Aaron laughed and shook hands with the two men.  “Boy mate would be a good way to put it,” Aaron joked smiling along with the older men.  The three military men got along as thick as thieves. 

Tony was looking around the room trying to make sure they hadn’t lost any of the Fairy Angels on their trek through the dining room.  He heard someone come from the kitchen but didn’t think much of it because he knew there was on occasion more than just the two men employed.  Sometimes Gibbs’ father was even present. The older man was retired from hunting but liked to hang around and hand out wisdom when needed.  It sounded like this was one of those times.

Tony could hear his voice talking to someone he was calling William or Williams but wasn’t paying much attention because he couldn’t see Hades, Ares, and Zeus.  Never a good sign.  He was about to go look for the terrible trio when shit happened.

Aaron must have stepped away from the bar to go shake Jackson Gibbs’ hand, because when he turned at the sound of the shout he had moved away from the two marines.

“WHAT THE FUCK?”

Tony’s head whipped around wishing it was anything but what he feared.  When he saw it was exactly what he feared, he couldn’t move fast enough.  There standing on the bar dressed in dress slacks, a dress shirt, and a tie was Poseidon.

“Master! You finded him!”  Poseidon squealed happily bouncing and looking at a blond standing with Jackson.

“Go to hell you fucking monster!”  Gibbs yelled, and before Tony could get the word stop out the hunter slashed with his silver knife at the happy Fairy Angel catching the little creature in his stomach.  The older man then batted at him sending him flying.

Sam was pulling out his gun, and Tony could feel the rage pouring in through the connection mixing with his own absolute Terror.

“Poseidon!!”

Tony only had eyes for the fallen little creature that somehow was trying to drag his little body to the stranger.  Forgetting everything else, Tony rushed across the room, his hand burning as if on fire.  He had no idea if the little creatures could be killed. It’d never come up, and suddenly he was kicking himself for it. 

“Holy shit!”  He heard Rossi swear then break off into a gurgled curse.

Given that all of his attention was on Poseidon, he hadn’t seen Azrael make his appearance looking like every inch of the Archangel of Death and Retribution that he was.  Hades, Zeus, and Hera were attacking Gibbs body prone on the floor and unmoving.  Athena and Artemis were beating on Rossi’s head with magazines.  Ares was at Poseidon’s head looking like he was gonna unleash his wrath any second.  Spencer was standing near the door frozen and wide-eyed looking between Poseidon and Athena.  Later Tony could find out that it was that incident that broke through and allowed his younger brother to connect to his own Fairy Angel.

“EVERYONE STOP! Except for Azrael. You just… keep on being you.”  Aaron shouted ending in humorous quip knowing he had little to no influence over the archangel and probably in that moment no interest in trying to curb him.

“SAM! Put the gun down!”

Tony had fallen to his knees in front of poor little Poseidon who was bleeding and whimpering. “Jus' wanted master, Master.  Hurted me. This me bes tie.”

Tony’s laugh was more than a little wet, as he carefully tried to undo the treasured accessory hoping someone knew how to get blood out of a tie.  “Don’t worry buddy. It’ll be good as new. Just like you.”

“What are they, son?  They look like Fairy Angels. Are they?”  Jackson asked kneeling with difficulty next to him. 

“Yes,” came from behind him, and felt relief hearing Sam’s voice.  “Tony tell me you can heal him.”

Tony half laughed, half sobbed as it seemed too much blood was coming from such a small creature. 

“Don’t worry, Tony. If he’s a Fairy Angel that silver knife can’t kill him, and he ain’t gonna bleed to death.  Always knew there was somethin’ about you, but I sure didn’t expect this. You used them glowing hands before, kiddo?”

Tony’s hands shook as he got the shirt off, Ares helping with the tiny buttons.

Tony could sense someone sit behind Ares and glanced up briefly saw the stranger looking down at the little creature shocked.  “Sammy?”

“Hey, Danno,” Sam offered with a weak chuckle.  “Umm surprise?”

“Why does my stomach hurt?  Why do I feel like…”

Sam sighed behind him and must have knelt down.  The hand on Tony’s shoulder was helping calm him so that he could think.  Tony had a feeling that he had to calm down and slow his thoughts.  He had to take them to a good happy safe place in order to heal the little creature.  The room behind him had fallen silent.

“It’s a long story, Danno, but basically he’s yours. He’s…. he’s been so excited to find you, again. He’s asked me a million questions about when we were kids.”

Danno reached around Ares to take a little hand in his own.

“M… master.”  Poseidon called weakly, and everything in front of Tony became blurry as he tried to focus on what he needed to do.

“You must focus, Anthony.  All that matters in this moment is healing him.”

Azrael. Tony looked up wide-eyed.  “I don’t… I’m not… We haven’t…”

“I know,” The archangel said sighing with deep regret.  “Think about how deeply you care for him.  Think about him surfing on his little surfboard in the morning sunrise squealing with glee every time he gets knocked down.  Think about his refusal to get out of his trunks, and the joy that he got looking at ties with you online.  Nothing else exists right now.  Not your brothers, not those imbeciles.  Just you and Poseidon. The only thing you see, the only thing you want, the only thing that matters is him healthy and whole. 

“Picture it on your head, Anthony.  Him on that surfboard.  The beautiful sun coming up over the water.  The sound of his happy laughter.  The gorgeous colors in the distance. That’s it, my boy.  The squeal of happiness when he sees that tie, and his vow to look sharp for his master.  Very good, that’s it. You’re almost there.  The sound of one question after about his Danno and what he’s like, how he can serve him best, does he still like cuddling more than anything.”

Slowly Tony’s world narrowed to just the sound of the archangel’s voice.  If there was anything in the world that he trusted absolutely it was Azrael.  He let his words wash over him as he pictured the scenes.  Watching the little Fairy Angel surf in the Italian waters in the morning was one of Tony’s favorite things.  They’d quickly learned that each little creature had their own personality.  Poseidon seemed to be filled with joy over just three things.  His morning surf, buying ties, and his other master.

They’d sit for hours sometimes with the little guy perched on Tony’s lap with Ares as he asked Sam for more stories about Danno when the two of them were kids.  While all of the Fairy Angels were excited to meet their companions, Poseidon took a joy in it that just couldn’t be matched.  It was as if the only thing he really wanted in the world was to meet this Danno, again.

“Well done, lad!  You did it!”

“Holy mother of Jesus.” He heard a strange voice that he just registered as being Danno.

“Holy shit, Tone!”  He heard feeling Sam hug him from behind.  Blinking he looked down to see that Poseidon was whole again. 

“Master did it!  Master heal Poseidon!”  Quickly, Tony found himself with an armful of Fairy Angel and didn’t bother to try and hide his tears.

“You scared the crap out of me, man,”  Tony admitted hugging the creature tight.  “Who else am I gonna watch surf at home if something happens to you?”

“No will!  It take more than stupid sharp thing to take out Poseidon, Master Tony!”

Tony chuckled and let the Fairy Angel go, watching as he slowly limped toward Ares and Danno.  “Poseidon, ok!  No kill pepol, Ares!  No night cuddles if you dos!”  Tony laughed louder at the sight of Poseidon wagging his finger at Ares and heard Sam whispering in his hear.

“So, that’s where Ares has been sneaking off to at night.  Do we need to give Fairy Angels the talk about the birds and the bees?”

The thought alone set off a giggle fit, and Tony found himself leaning against Sam laughing slightly hysterically.  When he finally calmed down, Poseidon was snuggled up within the stranger’s arms whimpering half scared and half pleasure. 

“Your friend?”  Tony asked having only vaguely listened to the exchange between the two.

“Yeah, Danny Williams.  Poseidon’s master, and my Relations Advisor.”

Taking a deep breath, Tony looked to Jackson who was taking in the whole thing much more calmly than should be possible.  “How did you know about Fairy Angels?”  Tony asked remembering the elder hunter’s assurances.

“Help me up, boys. Please?  These old knees weren’t meant to get down this far.”  Quickly, Tony and Sam helped the elder Gibbs up and over to sit in a chair near the bar.  Once he was settled, he looked to where his son was laying on the floor with pink hair, three Fairy Angels standing on him, and Ares snarling at his head.

“What have I told you about your rash actions, Leroy?” Jackson scolded.  “I told you that someday you’d hurt somethin’ that you shouldn’t.  I have a feeling that color ain’t comin’ out soon.  Now, come on guys. Let him up. I think he’s learned his lesson.”

“Jackson! Master Jackson!”  Tony was surprised to see the Fairy Angels rush to his side, and even more surprised when an older looking Fairy Angel popped in.  “Master Jackson!”

The creature hobbled across the table, and was pulled into a hug by the older man.  “Jackson?”  Tony heard and looking up saw Rossi standing there with Gibbs next to him.

“Let’s pull some tables together.  I think there is more than one story that needs to be told here,” Tony heard Aaron say, and quickly found himself with a lapful of Hera who was still giving Gibbs the stink eye.  “Rossi do you have anything to eat?  We haven’t had lunch yet, and well I think sweets would sooth some tempers.”

Half an hour later, everyone was settled down and eating.  Most of the Fairy Angels were sitting on the bar with a milkshake and a cannoli.  Poseidon was sitting in Danny’s lap eating his sweets and stealing fries.  His outfit including the treasured tie restored to its unblemished state by Az.  Atlas was sitting on the table next to Jackson munching on a plate of chocolate chip cookies.  Hera was still in Tony’s, and interestingly enough Athena was perched in Spencer’s. 

Azrael was still around, sitting next to Tony with a scotch, and watching things.  Samael had even shown up.  When Tony finally looked around he noticed Sam’s archangel had been standing near Gibbs presumably keeping an eye on things when Az came to help him heal Poseidon. 

“So, who’s gonna start with explanations?”  Rossi asked apparently having gotten tired of waiting.  Tony and Sam eyed each other and together began explaining what they knew about themselves from their first meeting with the angels through their bonding at the villa in Italy.

Everyone seemed stunned except for Jackson, whom Tony was suspecting might have firsthand knowledge with all of this.  “Jackson?  Were you council?”  He asked softly ignoring how Gibbs’ head whipped up.  Things may have calmed down, but he was nowhere near ready to forgive him for what he did.  It would be a long time before he forgot the sight of Poseidon bleeding all over the wooden floor.

“I was,” the older man confirmed.  Eyeing him and Sam before settling his hand on Atlas.  “I was your keeper of mythology.  Atlas here was my companion.  I knew there was somethin’ different about you, but I’ll tell you again I didn’t expect this.  If you boys need anything from me you just say it.  I might be older than dirt, but the ol’ information is still up here rattling around in my head.  I…. I would appreciate if you’d let Atlas stay with me, though.”

“Of course!”  Sam answered quickly, then looked to Tony who just smiled and nodded.

“I don’t know why he was ever taken from you, Jackson.  Of course, you can keep him with you.”  Tony echoed and the older man seemed to relax.

“Well, when the council is disbanded for the rebirth, the Fairy Angels go away until Light and Dark are ready for bonding again.”

Tony let the new information roll around in his head until he came upon a question that he needed to speak.  Looking up he saw Azrael watching him with that little proud smirk on his face.  “Az, does this mean that Jackson is immortal, again?”

“Not exactly,” the archangel answered studying the older man. “He isn’t quite as easy to kill though as a normal human.  If you made him council again or something of the sort then he would be, but…”

“No, please,” Jackson inserted.   “I’m happy to help, and as long as I can have Atlas with me I’ll be fine.  I don’t wanna live forever though.  No, whatever extras I have now are all I need.”

“Dad, are you sure…” Gibbs started but was quickly shut down by his father.

“Leroy, I know what I’m saying.  No father wants to outlive his child.  M’guess is it’s gonna come close as it is.  I’ve been blessed to be able to serve once, and I am more than happy to pass along whatever knowledge I have to the new Keeper of Mythology.  Anything more than that isn’t anything I want though.”

Tony watched Gibbs study his father, but eventually, he nodded his acceptance.  “How many are there?” 

Azrael shrugged. “There are a few more roaming around.  I would expect one of Sam’s will make an appearance at some point.  The balance thing usually works itself out.  Samael and I will check on them to see where they are and make sure there aren’t any surprises.”

“There is one,” Jackson admitted studying Sam. “One of Dark’s advisors from a council sometime before mine.  Nice Asian fellow. Comes to see me occasionally.  Looks a helluva lot better than I do that’s for sure.  Don’t know much about him other than he’s not quite human anymore.  He got a blessing or something from his deity after serving the council.”

“Well don’t worry, man,” Samael said smiling. “We’ll hunt him down and get the details.”

Jackson nodded his acceptance, and conversation seemed to move away from Light and Dark and the council and to other more normal things. Everyone needed a break from the earlier events.  Taking a deep breath, Tony kissed the top of Hera’s head before finally starting in on eating his lunch.  He couldn’t help but think of the fact that Dean Winchester was the only council member unaccounted for.

He hoped for Sam’s sake that they wouldn’t have to wait long for him to come back from hell.   

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have such love for this story. I am very thankful to those of you that are reading and gave it a chance. I hope you enjoy it at least half as much as I do. Only two more chapters and they are new to those that read this on RT. Although, the first one was posted with my EAD offerings this year.


	10. Chapter Ten:  The Resurrection of Dean Winchester

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time has come for Dean's return. As Sam paces, Tony sits in the Impala and ponders their situation. Then they meet another angel, only this one finds out it's best not to mess with Light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is definitely an AU of Dean's return on the show. I have left some elements, but changed others to suit my needs. This chapter was not included in last year's NANO posting. It was on my EAD for this year though. So, it may seem familiar. The EAD posting was removed awhile back.

##  Chapter Ten:  The Resurrection of Dean Winchester

 

Tony was in the Impala while Sam paced back and forth outside in front of the car.   Zeus and Hades were in the back seat playing poker.  The four of them had been camped out every day near the spot where Dean was buried.  Spencer thought that it was a little ridiculous, and Aaron had been mostly mum on the subject.  Danny was off working a nearby case having said that he was staying out of it, but it didn’t seem unreasonable.  Tony though got it, even if he was bored out of his skull.  If he was in Sam’s position and it was Aaron, he would be dragging Sam’s ass to the middle of nowhere every day to stare at a bunch of dead grass.

Add in the huge amount of guilt that Sam carried over his brother’s death, and yeah… there they were.  Aaron had offered to come along, but seriously. They didn’t all need to be bored out of their minds, and since they had no idea what would happen he didn’t want his brothers there.  He knew that he and Sam were safe, but Aaron and Spencer weren’t fully immortal yet. 

They’d sat down with Samael to try and get some idea of what to expect.  While the archangel had given them an idea of what will happen, he honestly hadn’t been sure how it would affect a human.  Hence Tony insisting that his brothers are far away from the blast zone.  He did wish though that Azrael was there.  He was more than a little fond of his mentor and bodyguard, and sometimes craved his presence even more than that of his brothers.  It was a connection he was a little afraid to explore and figure out.

The two archangels had been off finalizing some things needed to separate themselves as much as possible from their ties to their Father and what the humans called Christianity while still keeping their grace and powers.  Tony had a feeling that it would be much easier if they were… well them. 

They weren’t though so the pair were feeling their way along with assistance from someone they weren’t yet ready to name.  Tony was curious and his mind was trying to figure out who they could be working with.  A fact that Azrael was well aware of, and fed little tiny bits of information just to be a bloody wanker.  Tony would have the last laugh though. He would figure it out, and then he was the one that would be laughing.

He’d been laying across the front seat with his feet out the passenger’s side window.  His mind was wandering aimlessly. Sort of meandering through the new bits in his brain poking at places that had recently appeared or changed.  There was all sorts of new shiny white doors and areas that he wasn’t sure what to do with.  He hoped that people didn’t just expect him to know at some point, because he had a feeling it wasn’t going to work that way.  They seriously needed to do a shit load of trial and error to figure it all out.  Maybe once they had Dean back they’d go to the cabana in Italy and see what they could do.

He was staring at a new door that had suddenly showed up trying to decide if he should open it or not, when he felt a shift in… well in everything.  Opening his eyes, he studied the Impala ceiling noting that the two fairy angels had stopped talking.  Turning his head, he saw them both perched on the back of the seat staring out the front windshield.  Their wings were out, as if they were ready to take off at any second.

“Big coming, Master Tony,” Zeus said, and Tony sat up to look out the window.  Physically nothing had changed yet, but there was a feeling in the air.  Something big was coming, indeed.

“Come on, guys.  Time to get out.”

Scooting over to his side of the car, Tony opened the door and got out. He waited for the two fairy angels to fly out before shutting it again.  He supposed that they could probably have flown out the window as it was down, but that just seemed rude.

“Tony?”  He heard and turned his attention away from where he’d been studying the horizon intently.  Looking at Sam he could see the same worried intensity that had been there for weeks.

“Can’t you feel it?”  Tony asked turning his eyes back to their surroundings.  When Sam came to stand near him, Tony reached out and curled his fingers with his mate’s.  This felt much bigger than what Samael described, and it worried him.

“Sam, I think…” He began to say when a blast of energy erupted throwing them all to the ground, and knocking them out.

When he came to, Zeus was patting his face almost frantically, and everything felt just… more.  “Zeus?”  He croaked.

“Master, you must get up! Danger!”

Turning his head, to look at the fairy angel, Tony could see fear on his face.  Groaning at the pain in his body, Tony rolled onto his stomach then pushed himself up.  Zeus was right. There was danger for sure.

Looking around he could see that everything around them was dead.  The grass and trees were all dead.  The trees laying on the ground, and the grass had large scorch marks.  Shaking his head, he realized that his ears were buzzing, and looked around to see where Sam was.  What he saw filled him with dread.

It had to be an angel. 

It appeared to his human eye at first as just a bright light, but one of the doors in his mind opened allowing him to see the figure inside the light.  It was a man with brown hair, appearing to be roughly his height, but the wings spread out behind him made it clear this could only be one specific supernatural creature.  This angel seemed to have an issue with his mate.

“Abomination. Creation of Satan begone!”

When Sam and the man next to him, who he recognized from pictures as Dean Winchester just flinched covering their ears. 

“Master! Make stop! Do bad!”

Tony saw the angel’s arm lift with his hand toward Sam, and he knew that this creature had no good intentions.  The fact that he couldn’t affect Sam never really crossed his mind.  All he knew was what its intentions were, and that it needed to be gone.

“Angel begone!” He shouted, and felt another door fly open.  The angel looked toward him. His eyes growing wide in shock, just before he disappeared with a boom knocking him over again.

“Ouch, master,” Zeus complained, and Tony grunted nodding. 

“Definitely gotta work on that.”

“Tony!”  He heard Sam call, and looked up just as his mate reached his side.  His brother was making his way over slowly.  The distrust and skepticism evident on his face. 

Holding out his arm, Tony let Sam help him up.  “What the hell did you do?  Was that an angel?”

“Yeah, what the hell did you do, and who the fuck are you?  And, what the hell do you mean angel, Sammy?  What did you get yourself mixed up in while I was gone?”

“Dean,” Sam started, and Tony took his hand as he studied the older brother.  He couldn’t help but wonder if Sam felt as off as he did.  It felt like everything inside him was suddenly shifted again.  His body felt like he’d grabbed live power lines thrumming with the energy running through his body.  He had a feeling that this was what Azrael meant when he said that while they bonding connected them, things would be sharper and fuller once the final cabinet member had risen.

“Sammy, what the fuck did you do?”

“Hey!”  Tony snapped, stepping forward angrily.  While he sympathized with the man, feeling how incredibly unsure and off balance he was, he wasn’t about to let him take his frustration and confusion out on Sam.  The days of the Winchesters using Sam as their doormat were over.

“You keep the fuck out of this, whoever the shit you are.”  Dean snapped pointing a finger at Tony, and it was only Sam’s pleading gze that kept him from replying.

“Dean! It’s not what you think!”

“Really? ‘Cause it looks to me like you’ve hooked up with another evil sonofabitch! Where’s the demon bitch? Or, have you moved higher up the food chain? What the hell are you shaking up with now that has the power to kill an angel?”

Tony sighed and rolled his eyes feeling Zeus fly up to hover just behind his left shoulder. 

“What the fuck is that?”  Dean screeched, and Tony had a feeling if the man had a gun it would be pointed the fairy angel.

“Is just Zeus!”  The little creature insisted holding onto Tony’s shoulders now.  “I harmless!”

“Dean! Jesus would you listen for a second?”  Sam snapped.

Tony could feel the burst of frustration quickly followed by an almost overwhelming burst of guilt.  He quietly wondered if this was the normal routine for him.  Letting out his true feelings, only to quickly feel guilty for them.  As if he was somehow wrong for being frustrated that his brother wasn’t resurrected for ten minutes and already accusing him of something.

With difficulty, he kept his mouth shut. He was going to try and let the brothers work it out.  He knew that was what he’d want from Sam if he were in his spot.

“Would you just… things changed while you were gone, and you don’t get to talk about Tony like that.  He isn’t a thing. He’s a person.  Just like I am, or do you think I’m some kind of creature now?”

“What the fuck, Sam?  Of course not!”  Dean insisted wide eyed and looking a little lost.  Tony could feel the aggravation and worry.  This feeling all emotions was new to him, and he wondered if Sam was feeling the same as he was. 

Prior to this his empathy only gave the positive emptions from others, and Sam only the negative ones.  Now though it seemed as if one of the new tricks let him feel everything.  The underlying love and concern for his brother was the only thing preventing Tony from just taking Dean Winchester’s head off his shoulders.

“Jesus, Dean! You’ve been back for like… ten fucking minutes. Can’t we just… FUCK!”

When Sam let go of his hand and paced away, Tony let him go. His eyes stayed on Dean who wasn’t even trying to hide his hostility.  The older brother was watching him as if he expected a second head to pop up any second.

“Sam’s been worried sick about you,” Tony started.  He wasn’t sure where it was going, but had to speak up.

“Like he said… a lot has changed.  Through it all though his first thought always was you.  How to get you back.  How to fix whatever the demons broke once we had you back.  How to make sure it couldn’t happen again.  Would you understand everything we’d learned?  Would you hate him? Would you still love him? Would you just turn your back on him and never come back?  How would he survive if he had to choose between you and me?”

Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair feeling Zeus quivering on his back.  Reaching one hand back he patted the fairy angel’s head.  “This is Zeus.  He’s mine.  The one hiding behind the car is Hades, and he’s Sam’s.  They are just a small part of the things that we’ve learned in the last few months.  Something big is going to happen, and Sam and I have to stop it.  We can’t do that though without some important people, and you’re a big part of that.”

Turning his head, he saw Sam walking through the dead trees, and felt the pain and confusion coming through the bond.  “I know you’re confused, and I don’t blame you. Maybe though this attacking people isn’t the way to go.  You’re only making Sam feel worse, and making me want to take your head off.  Maybe you might consider letting him explain, and remembering that this isn’t all his fault.  You made a choice.  You made a deal.  Hell, your father made a deal.  Your mother made a deal.  The only one who didn’t make a deal with a demon is Sam.  So, ya know… maybe you can stop being an asshole for like two seconds, and remember that he’s been scared shitless and beating himself up with guilt.  Not that you’ve been having a walk in the park, but… I’m just saying.  This wasn’t easy on either of you.”

“Who the fuck are you?”  Dean asked mulishly, but Tony could feel that his words had maybe made some impact.  He also noticed how the older brother’s eyes kept wandering to where Sam was walking.

“My name is Tony DiNozzo. I have two brothers. One is older than me, and his name is Aaron. Last name is Hotchner because we have different fathers.  My other brother is Spencer and he’s younger than me.  He and I share a father.  Pastor Jim and Bobby Singer exorcised my parents, and saved us when I was 17.  We started hunting within a year of that.  I’m in love with your brother.  There’s a… bigger connection that you need to know about, but that’s Sam’s story to tell you.  All I ask is that you stop hurting him.  He’s been hurt too much already.  Hell, from what he’s told me, you both have been hurt too much already. I am more than willing to do every single thing in my power to help you recover from whatever they did to you down there.  The last thing I want is for us to be at each other's throats all the time.  I just... Sam is my first priority. Always.  I simply can't change that.”

Tony watched Dean nod, and when the man turned to walk in the direction Sam had headed, he turned to look for his mate.  He wasn’t surprised when he found him halfway through the dead trees standing and watching them.  Smiling, he lifted a hand, then turned and headed back toward the car.  Whatever he’d done to the angel had worn him out.  Maybe he could catch a quick nap while the brothers talked.  Hopefully, they wouldn’t tease him too much when they caught him snuggling with Zeus and Hades when they returned.

Sam stood in the middle of the dead trees watching his brother and mate talk wondering what they were discussing.  It was probably a stupid thought.  If they weren’t talking about him, he’d eat Dean’s leather coat.  Somehow he had a feeling his brother’s second most prized possession was safe.

He felt weird.  He wished that he could talk to Tony about it, but there wouldn’t be any talking about that stuff until he could explain everything to his brother.  Samael had been trying to tell him that things would get better once Dean was back as far as things with his true self went.  He’d have more access to the good things.  He’d no longer feel only the negative emotions for one, and Sam had been looking forward to that.  It sucked always feeling the bad things that people were going through or projecting into the world.   Tony had been a literal lifesaver.

It was like his mate surrounded him with a blanket of warmth and affection almost right from the start.  He’d literally thought he was going to drown in other people’s pain before Tony had walked up that driveway.  Looking back he wondered how he’d ever believed that Ruby could be anything good in his life.  All she’d ever done was make the pain worse and more stifling.  Sometimes he’d literally felt like he’d been suffocating when they were together.

When Dean started walking in his direction, he forced himself to unfold his arms from across his chest and let them hang loosely at his sides.  He wanted to fidget, but he knew it aggravated Dean when he did that.  The last thing he wanted was to make things worse because he couldn’t stand still.  He briefly wondered if the day would ever come when he felt like it was ok to just be him, and he could stop thinking ten steps ahead of every little fucking thing he did and said and felt and… Jesus it was exhausting.

When Dean stopped in front of him, Sam was almost afraid to breathe.  There was one thing that he needed more than anything else in the world, and so far hadn’t gotten it.  That angel thing had appeared just as he and Hades were digging Dean out, and then everything had gone to shit from there.

When his brother’s arms wrapped around him, Sam returned the hug squeezing his brother tight.  It felt like the dam had broken, and he couldn’t keep the tears filled with his fears and worries and anxiety hidden any more.  So, in a field of dead trees, he stood wrapped up in his brother’s arms, letting it all go. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd originally planned more after this story, but I don't know if that will happen now. I just have too much going on story-wise. Maybe someday though. We have one chapter left, which is completely new to everyone. I want to thank those who have been reading this for taking the time. I really loved this story, and I appreciate those that gave it a chance.
> 
> I am working on several things right now. Mostly this month I am trying to get some good headway on my Slow Burn Big Bang story so I can ignore it next month for NANO. For those that follow Rough Trade, I have indeed signed up for this year. My fic is called Unveiled and has a Tony/Jack O'Neill pairing. That will be mostly secondary though to my main storyline. I hope those of you that read on Rough Trade enjoy it.


	11. Things Changed While You Were Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Dean have a chat, and Dean finds out what happened in his brother's life while he was in Hell. Then, the boys go to the house, and the newly returned Winchester finds himself a potential playmate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit Diffuse sky radiation Wiki for the Spencer rant on why the sky is blue.

##  Chapter Eleven: Things Changed While You Were Away

__

 

“Alright, Sammy,” Dean said once his brother had calmed. “Tell me about this guy. I promise I’ll listen.”

And so, Sam did.

He started off with the aftermath of Dean’s death and how hard it had been. How lonely he’d been. How vulnerable he’d been for Ruby to prey on, and how she had until Tony and his brothers came to his rescue whether he liked it or not.

He told him about how conflicted he’d been and how he’d just wanted to take Tony’s head off and how his immediate thought was that there truly was no one left who knew who Sam Winchester was. Only, something happened with him and Tony and quickly he realized that maybe he wasn’t alone.

Then he told him what he knew about Tony’s past. About his parents deals with the demons and what they’d done to him. He told him about Aaron leaving and putting Tony in charge of Spencer and how the younger brother had been a butthead. He told him how Pastor Jim and Bobby had saved them and how Pastor Jim kept in touch with the three brothers. He told him how Pastor Jim would be dead if it weren’t for Tony and his brothers. How the three were hunters just like himself and Dean.

He told him about Azrael and Samael and what they’d told them and what the two angels were sacrificing to be their champions. He told him about the collusion between Heaven and Hell and how broken they’d wanted not just the Winchesters but he brothers Hotchner-DiNozzo so that no one could stop their apocalypse.

He told him about Tony’s visions and his angel abilities and Sam’s own visions and his demon abilities and how scared he was of them.

“I don’t wanna be evil, Dean,” Sam admitted softly, “and, I’m scared that no matter what I do it’s inevitable.”

“But, you said that Samael angel dude said it wasn’t about good and evil right?” Dean asked making sure he understood. His first instinct was to take Sammy and lock him in Bobby’s bomb shelter, but as he’d listened to the story and what these three brothers, especially this Tony guy, had done for Sammy, he knew he couldn’t. As a hunter, sometimes he just knew when to run and when he had to stand and fight. And if there was any bigger moment when he needed to fight, well then he didn’t know what the fuck it would be.

“Yeah,” Sammy admitted softly watching the Impala where Tony was sleeping. “I just…” He started then trailed off uncertainly.

Dean huffed. “So, are you worried about being evil? Or, are you worried that I will think you’re evil?”

Sam shrugged but peeked at his brother, and Dean knew it was the latter of the two options. Huffing, he wondered if his brother would ever trust him, and then wondered if he’d ever be able to make up for not standing up for him when their dad told him not to come back if he left for Stanford.

“Can you bend a spoon yet, Houdini?” Dean asked sarcastically, and Sam gave his own huff mixed in with a laugh.

“Dean!”

“What? I’m sure we could use some dough. We can take you to Vegas still you know and make a bundle!”

“Actually, we’re doing pretty good money wise,” Sam admitted smiling. “We don’t even use fake credit cards anymore. Aaron lectured me for like four days about that shit. Instead we do odd jobs now and then. Or we hustle someone. Apparently, Aaron feels that if someone is too stupid to know not to bet a stranger then they deserve to lose their money. It’s kinda nice to tell you the truth.”

“Huh,” Dean offered considering the possibilities before shrugging it off. He had more important things to worry about. “This Tony guy, you really love him? I mean, besides this no sex thing which just… you better not think I’m signing up for that crap.”

Sam laughed big and genuine, and Dean smiled just because his Sammy did. No matter how old they got or what they did. In his mind, his little brother would always be his Sammy. He was a little worried about the reverence that the kid talked about this Aaron, but then figured maybe the guy’d earned it.

It sounded like they saved Sam from that demon bitch, and he sure as fuck was gonna give Sammy a huge fucking ‘I told you so’ when the kid wasn’t so vulnerable. Looking around him at the destruction his resurrection caused, he couldn’t help but wonder if it was all worth it, but wasn’t about to look a gift horse in its mouth. He was gonna take the gift of life and use it to make sure those angel bastards regretted ever fucking with the Winchester family.

“I do, Dean,” Sam professed smiling as he looked toward the car again. “I can’t explain it. I mean, I can see now how much Ruby was manipulating me and how bad a spot I was in with her. I’m damned lucky that the guys saved me. ‘Cause God only knows what I would have done if they hadn’t. She’d been trying to convince me to… to drink her blood when they found me. I… I’m not sure how much longer I’d have lasted to be honest.”

“Sammy!” Dean spat then ran a hand over his face wanting to bitch, but those damned puppy dog eyes that his little brother used as weapons got him every fucking time.

“I know, Dean,” Sam said quiet regret evident in his tone. “Samael chewed my ass a good one for that.”

“I don’t know if I can leave all this if you hate it, Dean,” Sam admitted carefully watching Dean who frowned trying to figure out what his brother was saying.

“I like this little unit we’ve built. I like all the people, even Rossi and Gibbs. I like all the Fairy Angels and Azrael and Samael. I like knowing there’s all these people looking out for us. All that was missing was you, and now that you’re back… I was afraid that Az was wrong and Castiel wasn’t really going to get you out.”

“Castiel?” Dean asked not remembering that name in all the things Sam had covered earlier.

“The angel that called me an abomination a little bit ago. Or, at least I assume that it's him. Azrael told us that he was tasked with getting you out of hell, and that we needed to be patient because neither he or Samael could do it. I think he kinda hates me though.”

“Huh,” Dean offered frowning. “Where’d he disappear to?”

Sam shrugged his shoulders before looking toward the car once again, and Dean figured that maybe little brother had been apart from lover boy long enough. “Who knows. Tony doesn’t always have the best control over his abilities at the beginning, and I’ve never seen him do anything like that before. You, uh, you wanna meet him? Tony I mean?”

Dean nodded and stood offering his brother a hand up. “Sure thing, Sammy. Let’s go meet Loverboy for real.”

As he watched, Sam’s smile turned bright, and after letting him help him up, his little brother hurried toward the car using the excuse that his other half was probably sleeping. Shaking his head, Dean followed more slowly taking in the sight of his baby. He was glad that Sammy brought her, and hoped the kid hadn’t damaged her while he was gone.

When he reached the vehicle, he caught a glimpse of Tony laying across the front seat with two small winged things lying snuggled on his chest before turning his attention to his girl.

“Hey, baby,” Dean crooned happily as he touched the metal reverently. “Daddy’s back.”

He heard a snort from his brother, but ignored it as he rounded the body looking for any new damage. “You better not have scratched my car, Sammy!”

“As if,” came from inside sounding husky with sleep. “I’d kick his ass if he hurt this car. It’s a classic.”

Perking up, Dean looked back to see the two - what had Sammy called them? Fairy Angels? – fly out the driver’s side window before the Tony guy exited Bo and Luke Duke style through the window. At the back of the car he was studying the finish above the trunk frowning as he noticed a pattern in the paint.

“Well, except there, but that was deliberate,” the Tony guy said again and Dean looked up and frowned at him then glared at Sammy who quickly explained.

“They put some sigils and other markings on it to protect the weapons and things we keep in there. Plus, it protects her from being manipulated like the Lady in White case in Jericho. Tony and Aaron did it. They work on all the cars. In fact, Tony has a classic car himself that we’ll use now that you’re back.”

Dean frowned at that, but turned his attention back to the car running his hands over the marks once more until he finally decided that they were faint enough you wouldn’t see them unless you knew they were there. Or, if you were looking for them like Dean was. When he finally got back to the front of the car, the hood was popped and Tony was bent over the front checking some things with a purple flying thing next to him handing him tools or a rag when needed. Peeking down at the engine, he had to admit that his baby looked like she’d been well taken care of.

After only a short wait, Tony stood and wiped his hands on the offered rag before handing it back to the purple flying thing with a smile. “Thanks, Zeus. Dean may need that in a little bit.”

“Yes, Master Tony,” the little thing chirped before turning its eyes to Dean.

“Uh, thanks,” Dean said before Tony stepped back and he took his place poking at things and checking fluid levels until eventually he had to admit that his girl appeared to be in perfect condition.

Closing the hood with a bang, Dean turned to see his brother and his partner watching him with a dark green flying thing hovering at Sam’s right shoulder. “Dean this is Hades,” Sam explained motioning to the flying thing who came to him looking serious.

“Is nice to meet you Master Dean,” the dark green flying thing offered and Dean nodded not sure how he was supposed to reply.

“Uh, likewise,” Dean finally grumbled and Hades nodded before flying back to Sam who was laughing at him. “What’s a guy gotta do to get something to eat?”

“Right,” Sam replied giving Tony a kiss before reaching into his pocket and tossing the keys toward him.

“Oh baby,” was all Dean could offer before hurrying to the driver’s side. He noticed Tony folding his tall body into the backseat and winced knowing how uncomfortable it would be. Maybe Sammy and this Tony having their car made sense after all, but Dean wasn’t sure he’d like it.

Putting the key in the ignition, he ran a hand over the dash praising his girl and promising not to leave her with Gigantor again before turning the key and feeling the thrill at the low rumble that he got back immediately. “Listen to that purr,” he bragged hearing a snort from the backseat and without looking knowing that Sammy was rolling his eyes. Ignoring them both, he put the car in reverse and headed away from the place his body had been resting for months, trying to ignore the memories of where he’d been all that time that were trying to invade his happiness.

It turned out though that Dean decided that he needed a shower before they ate, so the trio ended up back at a house that Sam explained everyone was crashing at for the moment. When they walked in, Spencer was the only one in the front room, which was a more formal room that most everyone else ignored. Sam knew that Spencer liked it for that reason, and chose it to read in, which was what he appeared to be doing sprawled out across the chair with his legs hooked over one arm and his head resting against the back.

When they walked in, Sam noticed Spencer’s eyes pop up to see who it was, and seeing Dean they did a second take. He could hear Tony sigh behind him as Spencer didn’t even try and hide his interest in the older Winchester brother. “So, you’re back,” he observed and while he couldn’t see his face, Sam pictured the raised eyebrow.

“How observant, Einstein,” Dean snarked as he moved deeper into the room with Sam and Tony hovering in the entry way. Sam wondered if Tony was as unsure about this confrontation as he was.

“Next you’re gonna tell me the sky is blue.”

Spencer smirked back as he stood moving toward Dean eyeing him up and down once more. “The sunlit sky is blue because air scatters short-wavelength light more than longer wavelengths. Since blue light is at the short-wavelength end of the visible spectrum, it is more strongly scattered in the atmosphere than long-wavelength red light. The result is that when looking toward parts of the sky other than the sun, human eye perceives them to be blue. The color perceived is similar to that obtained by a monochromatic blue of a wavelength of 474–476 nm mixed with white light, i.e., an unsaturated blue light. The explanation of the blue color by Rayleigh in 1871 is one of the most famous examples of the application of dimensional analysis in solving a problem in physics.” *

Sam’s eyes got bigger as he watched Spencer move into Dean’s space and there was no misunderstanding his intentions by the look of lust in his eyes. “You look dirty. Need help washing your back?”

When Dean turned to look at him, Sam couldn’t resist the eyeroll any longer. His big brother looked like a kid in a candy store. “You know, Einstein, I think I do.”

“Einstein only had an IQ of 160. I have an IQ of 187 and can read 20,000 words per minute with an Eidetic memory. You’re gonna have to come up with something better than that. Hurry up and I’ll bottom first.” Spencer replied smoothly before moving around Dean and hurrying up the stairs.

Dean turned letting his eyes follow him up before turning to grin at Sammy. “Now THAT is a welcome home present. Dinner may have to wait, Sammy.” After patting his brother on the shoulder, Dean followed Spencer upstairs.

Sam took a deep breath and turned to look at Tony who had a half pained and half amused expression on his face. “I don’t know if I should be happy for them or horrified,” Tony finally admitted, and Sam snorted his agreement before heading off to find the others. He guessed that they had awhile to figure out supper, and hoped maybe he could talk Tony into making lasagna.

As he headed deeper into the house, Sam heard Tony following him, and before heading into the family room where he could hear the TV going, paused to study his partner and mate.

“It’s done,” Tony observed quietly, and Sam nodded letting himself be pulled into a hug allowing him to finally breathe again. He had Dean back. They had their whole council. There were still a ton of questions to be answered. Like, what happened with that angel? Did Tony kill him, or did he just disappear to somewhere? What happened with the apocalypse now? What happened after the apocalypse?

All of those could wait though. Sam figured that they all deserved a few days to be together happy and safe from the forces fighting against them. The plans of heaven and hell had been interrupted. Their apocalypse had been reinvented into something better, he hoped. Resting his forehead against Tony’s, Sam took a deep breath, inhaling his mate’s scent, and let himself be whole.

The End… for now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is! I hope you enjoyed it. I had more planned, but we'll see if it happens. I have a lot of other stories on my plate right now. I do have a love for these characters and this world though. So, maybe someday I will get back to it. Thanks to all who read along the way.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is NOT a WIP. It is completed and will be posted every Sunday, except the week I am on vacation. 
> 
> Originally Posted: Rough Trade 2016 Nov NANO challenge
> 
> Timeline: Takes place in Supernatural post Season 3 and Season 4 ep 1
> 
> Evil Author Day entries are being removed as the full story is being posted. I am also removing the Tony/Alec entry titled The Aftermath. It is being reworked and used for the RT November NANO Blue Moon challenge.


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